Subject
Bruton Parish Church (Williamsburg, Va.)
Block 21. Building 01.
Church architecture - Virginia - Williamsburg
Postcards - Virginia - Williamsburg
Description
Recto and verso of postcard published by Williamsburg resident Henry Dennison Cole and sold in his shop along Duke of Gloucester Street. An example of an early Divided Back postcard, it features a view of the sanctuary of Bruton Parish Church after architect J. Stewart Barney completed restoration of the interior in 1907. The altar is once more located at the east end of the nave with the pulpit to the right and the Governor's Chair to the left. Many elements of the altar area, including the stained glass window and the large arched opening, were removed during a second round of restoration work in the 1930s.
The card's caption reads: "Built in 1710. Where Washington worshipped in 1781. The parish dates back from 1632. Four presidents of the United States have worshipped within its walls - Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, and Tyler. The bell which hangs in the tower was made in England and presented to the church in 1761, and summoned the patriots together in Revolutionary times. The brick wall enclosing the graveyard was built in 1752."