National Historic Landmark

Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall

Auburn, Cayuga County, New York
Listed
June 7, 1989
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
89000461

About this property

The Willard Memorial Chapel and the adjoining Welch Memorial Hall are historic conjoined buildings located at 17 Nelson Street in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York. Built 1892–1894 for the Auburn Theological Seminary, the buildings contain an ecclesiastical installation of stained glass and interior decoration by Louis Comfort Tiffany that is still in its original setting. They were declared a National Historic Landmark in 2005. Willard Memorial Chapel and Welch Memorial Hall stand north of downtown Auburn, on the west side of Nelson Street south of Seymour Street. The block on which it stands was once almost completely occupied by the buildings of Auburn Theological Seminary, most of which have since been demolished and their sites redeveloped. The two buildings are largely independent of one another, joined together by a small hyphen, but share construction materials and architectural vocabulary. Their exterior are composed of load-bearing masonry, most of which is gray rock-faced limestone with red limestone trim. They are Richardsonian Romanesque in style, with entrances set recessed behind rounded arches. Windows are in a variety of styles, including round-arch Romanesque, lancet-style Gothic, and rectangular sash. The chapel and hall were designed by Warner & Brockett of Rochester, New York, and were built in 1892-94. They feature the stained-glass windows and interior decoration of Louis Comfort Tiffany. They are the last surviving complete installation by Tiffany in its original location. The chapel was dedicated in memory of Dr. Sylvester Willard and his wife, Jane Frances Case Willard. Funding was provided by their daughters, Caroline and Georgiana. National Register of Historic Places listings in Cayuga County, New York Official website Archived May 10, 2019, at the Wayback Machine

Location

17--19 Nelson St.
Auburn, Cayuga County, New York
42.93696, -76.56358

Categories

ARTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Huntington, Ezra A., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Dwight, Charles Chauncy, House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Schine Auburn Theatre
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0.4 mi
South Street Area Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
Auburn Button Works and Logan Silk Mills
Industrial
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall listed on the National Register?

Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall?

Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall?

The period of significance for Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Hall?

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