Huguenot Church, Charleston

Huguenot Church, Charleston

A small change of pace.

Huguenot Church, Charleston
Huguenot Church, Charleston

The first Huguenot Church, located at the site of the present church, was blown up by city authorities in an effort to stop a spreading fire. It was replaced by a simple brick church in 1800. This building was torn down in 1844 to make way for the present church, which was completed the following year. This third church sustained damage during the Civil War and the Charleston Earthquake of 1886, and was restored with funds from Huguenot descendant Charles Lanier of New York.

Huguenot Church, Charleston
Huguenot Church, Charleston

9 thoughts on “Huguenot Church, Charleston”

  1. Thank you for this! I had a Huguenot ancestor who fought in the American Revolution, though he was in North Carolina. I haven’t seen this church! Beautiful but sad the original is gone. Amazing organ!

    1. The first was wood and dated to the 1680’s. This is the only independent Huguenot church in the USA. That organ is from 1845 and some how survived the bombing during the Civil War.

      I think it one of the most beautiful in Charleston, which is filled with historical churches. Outside of Sunday services it is very difficult to arrange any photography inside.

    1. The stained glass windows in all these churches are huge, several stories high. The light is mostly from these. Some windows are 300+ years old, but most are from the 1880’s after the civil war. Charleston was bombed from the harbor for a few years. They actually used the church steeples as targets from the ships. Once money was available again Tiffany Glass and their peers all setup shop in Charleston business was so good.

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