Steeple to Reach Old Heights

The year was 1913 and Woodrow Wilson was in the White House when a tornado struck the nation’s capital, damaging the steeple of a downtown church.

It took some time -- 92 years, to be exact -- but this weekend, repairs are being made at Calvary Baptist Church. The church made a deal with local developers, selling its parking lot and other land for $10 million to go toward construction as well as preservation of the 1867 church sanctuary, which was formed by abolitionists.

“This renovation and construction is a symbol for the rejuvenation of our neighborhood and how important it is for a downtown congregation to be part of that rebirth,” said the Rev. Amy K. Butler, the church’s senior pastor.

A storm deformed the original cast-iron spire, leaving only the clock tower intact. It too was taken down after a lightning strike damaged the building in 1949.

Architects replicated the design of the original steeple from an 1865 photo by Civil War photographer Matthew Brady.

The aluminum and fiberglass structure topped by a cross will be a new point on the city skyline, stretching to a height of 160 feet -- well above surrounding buildings.

The congregation of the church has traditionally come from the suburbs, but a diverse group of young, urban professionals increasingly fills the pews on Sundays, said the pastor. Butler, 34, calls it a good fit for her as one of the few women leading Baptist churches, and she sees the new steeple as a monument to the changes inside the church.