Grace and St. Peter's Church
Built for Grace Church in 1852, this was one of the first Gothic Revival churches in the South to use Connecticut brownstone. St. Peter's Church, founded in 1802, and Grace Church, founded in 1850, were united in 1912. This union is symbolized by the emblem shown.
Scholars consider the structure to be one of the most authentic and elegant English Gothic Revival churches in Baltimore. Designed by the noted architects Niernsee and Neilson, scholars consider it to be a copy of St. Marks Church in Philadelphia, designed by John Notman. Niersee and Neilson's design is regarded as a break from the simple, rectangular church towards a more fully dimensional form, similar to many parish churches in England. The white marble font with the bowl held by a kneeling angel was designed by the famous Danish sculptor Thorwaldsen. Stained glass windows imported from Hardman of Birmingham, England, and Mayer of Munich, Germany, embellish the interior.
The Church has since 1949 sponsored and housed Grace and St. Peter's School, originally founded as St. Peter's School in 1806. Until 1871, St. Peter's School was the oldest free school in Baltimore to operate continuously. Since 1949 the school has been a pioneer in the elementary education and after-school care of children.
Marker is on Park Avenue, on the right when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
