The document summarizes three colonial churches in Philadelphia: 1. Christ Church was completed in 1744 and had a steeple added 10 years later. Contemporaries praised its elegant yet simple design. 2. Saint Peter's Church was built in 1758 and had an unknown architect. 3. The First Baptist Church in America was constructed in 1774-1775 in Providence, Rhode Island to a design by architect Joseph Brown, making it one of the earliest imposing Baptist church buildings.

1. Three Colonial Churches

2. Christ Church completed in 1744. A steeple was added ten years later. Contemporaries were in awe of the finished house of worship, one remarking that "it was the handsomest structure of the kind that I ever saw in any part of the world; uniting in the peculiar features of that species of architecture, the most elegant variety of forms, with the most chaste simplicity of combination.” Christ Church, 1727 Second & Market architect unknown

3. Christ Church, interior

4. Saint Peter’s (1758) Saint Peter’s 1758 Third & Pine Robert Smith

5. Saint Peter’s, side

6. Saint Peter’s, back (Palladian window)

7. Saint Peter’s, interior

8. First Baptist Church in America, 1774 First Baptist Church, 1774 Providence, RI Joseph Brown

9. Colonial Baptist Church Believed to be the first Baptist church in America, the Providence congregation, founded by Roger Williams, was organized in 1639. The meeting house, shown here, was constructed in 1774-1775 from plans by architect Joseph Brown, after a design by James Gibbs. This church shows that some colonial Baptists had no compunctions about erecting imposing church buildings. First Baptist Church, 1774 Providence, RI Joseph Brown

10. entrance

11. baptistery

12. interior

13. No stained glass

14. Christ Church, interior

15. Warped column (no heat)

16. interior doorway detail (Georgian)