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| Aerial view (1971) of the church and rectory, on left. |
The site of St.
Ann Church is even more historic than its 1871 building. From 1799 until today,
the Roman Catholic diocese has owned the corner of High and Cumberland Streets.
While some historians
described a simple log chapel on the site ca. 1800, others said there was no
early building and the few Catholics in Waynesburg worshipped in private homes.
The truth is lost in time. What is known
is that in 1817 a traveling priest wrote to the Bishop of Baltimore: “There is scarcely a Catholic in Waynesburg and very few
in the neighboring county. Of course there is scarcely any prospect of building
a church there for several years.”
We do know that a chapel of hand-made bricks, begun in 1832
and completed in 1839, was dedicated to St. Ann. It, however, became unstable
and within 20 years, in the 1850’s, services resumed in private homes.
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| The church in 1903.The large log house on the left was replaced in 1924 by the Reed/Clendenning House, today the Rectory. Photo by Gilbert Hays. Source:greene connections.com |
In 1870-71, a period of prosperity after the Civil War,
the present sanctuary was erected at the same time as the Downey House,
Opera House and Hook/Morgan Building (which the author recently renovated).
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| The church today. |
The style of
St. Ann Church is Victorian Gothic Revival. Tall lancet windows inside pointed
arches are on the side elevations, separated by brick pilasters that function as
faux columns, repeating a design device used twenty years earlier at the
Courthouse and Hanna Hall.
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| Transom over entrance doors is today hidden by a porch roof. In this early view, one wonders if it is awaiting stained glass. Pilasters adorn the front and sides of the building. Source: St. Ann Church Centennial brochure, 1971. |
The sole
window in front is a large rosette of decorative stained glass with pairs of pilasters on either side. Brick corbels project
under the cornice to support roof beams. An octagonal belfry tops the steeply
pitched gable roof, crowned by a pyramidal spire and cross. Inside, an antique bell
rings regularly with beautiful tone.
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| An early 20th century postcard view of the interior. Source: greeneconnections.com |
During its
nearly 150-year history, as might be expected, the church building has been expanded and
remodeled several times. On the exterior, double entrance doors, a covered porch and ornamental iron trim are newer
additions. The 20th century also brought more stained glass windows.
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| The interior today. |
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| Contemporary view of side wing added to the sanctuary in the 20th century. |
In 1897, the congregation erected a rectory along Cherry
Alley after the arrival of its first resident priest. Major additions in 1934 and
1967 added two wings to the sanctuary, a rear parish hall and classrooms.
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| First rectory, built 1897. View from Cumberland Street. |
Today’s rectory is the former home/office of Dr. William
Clendenning which the church purchased in 1975. It was built in 1925-26
by William K. Reed, a local contractor and Waynesburg Borough engineer, for his
wife Jane (Ross) Reed. At the same time, Reed’s company was excavating
foundations for the new Ft. Jackson Hotel and Silveus Buildings following the
tragic Downey House fire.
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| The Rectory, formerly Reed/Clendenning House. |
Typical of
the 1920s, the house plan is irregular with wide overhanging eaves, strong
horizontal lines, and limited ornamentation in the Prairie style of
architecture developed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This example of early “modern” design
features a low slate roof and squat dormers with many windows grouped in twos
and threes. The entrance is covered with a bay porch.
Both the
church and rectory are important contributors to the architectural integrity of
downtown Waynesburg. I commend the congregation for their continuing care.
