First Congregational Church, 1850
Architect Leopold Eidlitz
66 Union Street

Bringing European sensibilities to State Street, this Gothic Revival Church was designed by Leopold Eidlitz who had trained in building construction at the Viennese Polytechnic and later in the offices of Richard Upjohn in New York City. At that time, c. 1840, Upjohn was at work on the design of Trinity Church and Eidlitz learned construction methods of ecclesiastical structures. In 1850 while Eidlitz was working on the First Congregational Church, St. James Episcopal Church, designed by Richard Upjohn, was under construction.
As an architect Eidlitz went on to work in many styles. In the late 1870s he collaborated with H. H. Richardson and F. L. Olmstead in the redesign of the New York State Capitol in Albany.

First Baptist Church, 1856
Architect: W.T. Hallett
268 State Street

The church was dedicated on March 13, 1856 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The stained glass windows, representative of the Victorian period, were donated by various families within the  church. The style is a typical example of a Victorian period city church. W.T. Hallett designed the original City Hall and two buildings on Bank Street, The Metropolitan Hotel in 1855 (still standing but with a considerably changed façade), and the original Lawrence Hall Building in 1856 (no longer standing).

St. James Church, 1850
Architect: Richard Upjohn
76 Federal Street

When Richard Upjohn was commissioned to rebuild Trinity Church in New York City in 1839 he inaugurated a new phase in the Gothic Revival style of church design. His style was influenced by an English architect, Augustus Pugin. In the 1850s he was instrumental in founding the American Institute of Architects and was its president until 1876.
St. James Church was consecrated in 1850. The architecture demonstrates Upjohn’s belief that his Gothic styling  expressed essential ethical and spiritual values. The prominent spire rises one hundred and sixty feet and the exterior is New Jersey red freestone.
Beautiful stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany grace the gothic interior.

The Huntington Street Baptist Church, 1843,
Architect: John Bishop
29 Huntington Street

In 1843 the Universalists selected this site, overlooking two Baptist churches then located on Pearl and Union Streets as the location of their new church. John Bishop, a member of the Church, was chosen as designer and builder. Inspired by Minard LaFever’s handbook, The Beauties of Modern Architecture, first published in 1835, this 1843 church is an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture. The classical proportions and rational nature of Greek Revival create a compatible style for the Universalists who believe in religious rationality. The elaborate Corinthian columns supporting the portico offer an interesting contrast to the simpler Ionic columns of Whale Oil Row, also by Bishop.
The Universalist Church failed in 1849 and the Baptists purchased this fine building. The Universalists survived to build their second church at the Corner of Starr Street in 1879, also by John Bishop.

St. Mary Star of the Sea, 1876
10 Huntington Street

The home of St. Mary Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church is an elegant granite structure in the Gothic style. Completed in 1876 it replaced St. Patrick’s Church on Truman Street. The tower was added in 1911.
South of the church is the house occupied by the Pastor and his assistants; on its northern side is the fine brick building belonging to the Sisters of Mercy.

Second Congregational Church, 1870
45 Broad Street

In 1870 the Congregational church stood alone on this hill’s highest point overlooking the city. West of this ridge very few if any dwelling houses had been erected and what is now a pleasant and important part of the city, was wild uncultivated waste.
Hempstead Street was one of the first streets laid out in New London. The whole of the rocky ledge extending from the old burial ground on the north to the Hempstead Houses at the bottom of the hill, was  called meeting house hill. While some of the large homes are now  changed to commercial use, they have retained their architectural integrity. The park and the variety and quality of homes ringing the park create a cohesive turn-of-the-century streetscape.

All Souls Unitarian/Universalist Church
19 Jay Street

This simple 1910 building was home for the Universalists until 2007 when they moved to a new location on Jay Street. This original building with a lovely sanctuary and a Tiffany window, is now used for special events, music and community gatherings.
With a belief in peace, liberty and justice for all, the Universalists have been a strong voice in the community since opening their first church in the 1830s.

The Apostolic Cathedral of Hope, 1882
157 Green Street

 In 1879 the Universalists purchased the corner as a site for their new church. Under the direction of John Bishop, assisted by his brother Charles, the church was dedicated in 1882. It was sold to the Brainard Lodge of Masons in 1896. Considerably changed through the years – the original round-arched windows, now have modern replacements and the side entrance on Starr Street is totally reconstructed. The roughly hewn dark granite imparts a dignity to the building and its Romanseque Revival style. The use of a corbel table under the eaves seems to be a hallmark of Bishop’s work.