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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWE-24 WILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FARM FOR OFFICE USE ONLY UNIQUE SITE N0. IDS 10-vrl�&31 WE-24 DIVISION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION QUAD NEW YORK STATE, PARKS AND RECRC %TION SERIES ALBANY, NEW YORK (518) 474-0479 NEG. NO. YOUR NAME Town of Southold/SPLIA DATE: March 1988 YOUR ADDRESS: Town Hall, Main Rd. TELEPHONE: 516 765 1892 Southold LI NY 11971 ORGANIZATION (if any): Southold Town Community Development Office IDENTIFICATION I. BUILDING NAM[—.(S):—Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church 2. COUNTY:Suffolk TOWN/CITY: Southold VILLAGE: Fishers Island 3. STREET LOCAT[ON: Oriental Ave, , opp. Ettrick Ave. 4. OWNERSHIP: a. public ❑ b. private ❑ 5- PRESENT OWNER: ADDRESS: 6. USI:: Original: church Present: church 7. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: Exterior visible from public road: Yes IN No ❑ Interior accessible: Explain yes DESCRIPTION 33. BIIII DIN(_ a. clapboard ❑ b. stone ❑ c. brick ❑ d. board and batten ❑ MATERIAL: e. cobblestone ❑ f. shingles ❑ g. stucco ❑ ' other:aluminum siding t). STRUCTURAL, a. wood frame with interlocking joints El SYSTI:M: b, wood frame with light members 9) (if' kmxvn) c. masonry load bearing walls ❑ d. metal (explain) e. other brick foundation 10. CONDITION: it. excellent n b. good ❑ c. fair ❑ d. deteriorated ❑ 11, INTEGRITY: a. original site IL-1 b. moved ❑ if so,when? c. list major alterations and dates (if known): Modern siding added. 12. PHOTO: neg: KK XII— 26, fm SW. 13 MAP. NYS DOT New London quad i� _r I �•�, / J U6 ,, �.. NY !;sv- � f ell at Ha 63 , Fl$ E Gooi4. '.Pit _ •.� .Cy: Island a • • ,r 'f'tA �.�s is Golt Course �w:a { • - M� S a i� Island' �, M ,_ Pros'ect IL,. ES =. Wilderness BLOCK 2SLAATD $�oint UN lip - WE-24 t 14. THREATS TO BUILDING: a.none known b. zoning❑ c. roads ❑ d. developers ❑ e. deterioration ❑ f. tither: 15. RELATED OUTBUILDINGS AND PROPERTY: a. barn b. carriage house ❑ c. garage ❑ d. privy ❑ e. shed ❑ f. greenhouse ❑ g. shop ❑ h. gardens i. landscape features: j. other: outbuilding tQ LVF 16. SURROUNDINGS OF THE BUILDING (check more than one if necessary): a.open land ER b. woodland R light c.scattered buildings ❑ ( d.densely built-up ❑ e. commercial ❑ I'. industrial ❑ g. residential IL h_other: public library, Episcopal church (WE-23) WE-22) 17. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS: (Indicate if building or structure is in an historic district) Located in a low-medium density residential area, on a prominent hilltop, set back from the road. ©pen Land surrounds the building, in the vicinity of another church and the island library. 18. OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE (including interior features if known): Large, 12 story, gable roof church, gable end to the street. 3 story, square, tapered tower at NW corner with Gothic arch windows and pointed spire. Gable facing street with 3 Gothic stained glass windows, large open bargeboard timbers in Gothic arch design, and giant paired brackets. -see attachment- SIGNIFICANCE 11i. DATE OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION: 1905 ARCHITECT: after plans by Rev. James J. Bennett. BUILDER: The Ferguson Company 20. HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE: In spite of the modern cladding, this very attractive structure in the Gothic mode retains its integrity because of the strong architectural elements. 0 21. SOURCES: Fishers Island, N.Y. 1614-1925, H.L. Ferguson, 1925, p. 74. Fishers Island, A Book of Memories, James and Joanne Wall, 1982, pp. 204-207. 22. THE KI F. . Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church WE-24 Fishers Island 18 - (continued) - Gable roof entrance porch at SE corner with timber arches and panel design in gable. Octagonal secondary entrance porch towards rear of building. Small triangular dormers with 212 arched sash. t Y During the fledgling years of the church there was no regular € X Ill minister. In the summer the ministers who spent their vacations on Fishers Island volunteered their services on Sunday mornings. For the rest of the year, services were conducted by lay preachers drawn from the congregation.The first full-time minister came in about 1900. a man named = ► Mount who remained for only a few yeard while preparing to E become a missionary to China. He was followed by Rev. Mr. Wilcox, from somewhere in Connecticut; Rev. Mr. Puller of EE + Noank; and Rev. Mr. Carlton of Boston. Rev. Mr. Carlton i became the first resident minister for the Union Chapel somewhere around 1910. How long he remained is not known. He lived in the parsonage on Hedge Street, now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dante Oliveri- Over the years ministers came and went.There were divinity students from Yale, chaplains from Fort Wright and some full-time parsons. Late in the 1950's. Rev. Ralph Waite started his tenure with the chapel. Although Fishers Islanders best remember him as their minister, Rev. Mr. Waite left the ministry after departing Fishers Island. He chose acting as his �..F ,,• new career. After doing small parts off-Broadway, he went to '- Hollywood. He is best known as John Walton,the father on the �`~' .�; w s.. ;` _ Our lady of Grace Catholic Church. long-running television series "The Waltons." On the morning of September 26, 1965, the first Union Chapel became a part of the island's history,destroyed by fire. Consumed in the flames were not only the structure but also many of the church's early retards.The present Union Chapel followed in the summer of 1903 by Rev. John L. O'Toole, who was built to replace the old one in 1967. spent only one summer on the island. Our Lady of Grace It is historically interesting that Fishers Island was, until Y 1957,associated with the Diocese of Brooklyn,New York.All of the priests who served before 1956 were affiliated with the Prior to 1900, the spiritual needs of the island's Catholic Brooklyn diocese. From 1956 until April. 1957 Our Lady of community were handled by the priests of St. James Procalhe- Grace was part of the Diocese of Rockville Center,Long Island. dral of Long Island. During the early years of the 201h century. In April, 1957 the parish became part of the Diocese of Catholics on the island could attend Mass only from May until Norwich, Connecticut. October, because the inclement weather of late fall, winter, On May 26, 1904 the Bishop of Brooklyn appointed Rev. and early spring made it impractical for the priests of St.James lames 1. Bennett as the priest far Fishers Island. Until June, to travel to the island. Each Sunday during the summer, a 1905,he, too,said Masses in the old school. His first Mass was different priest was assigned the task of celebrating Mass on June 12.1904; the collection yielded a grand total of$5.60-One the island. If one desired to attend Catholic services during the of Father Bennett's major duties was to have a Catholic church off-season months, that necessitated a day's trip to New built on the island, Father Terry had already drawn plans for London; or, if fortunate enough to have the use of a boat, one ; ould make the shorter trip to attend Mass in Mystic. or 3.. the proposed edifice: actually, he had drawn up three propos• c coank. als, but each of them would have cost approximately $30,000. Father Bennett had another plan drawn up, under which the The first "resident" priest was Rev. John Terry, who stayed present-day church was built.The Ferguson Company came in on the island from May until October each year from 1891)until as low bidder with a price of$11,000.Church construction was 1902. Since there was no church in existence during his tenure• begun in October, 1904. Continuous work during the winter Father Terry celebrated Mass in the old schoolhouse, now the .Lnd Fallowing spring enabled it to be ready for its first Mass in Fishers Island library. Father Terry led the successful effort toj,,i'1N, 1905. (The cornerstone of the church is dated 1902. � purchase land for the future erection of a real church. He wasI probably because it had been ordered and carved during the tv Fishers Island, A Book of Memories. James a* Joaffife Wall, 1982.