Leading up to April 19, 1911 at the Cathedral, several milestones have taken place. Some of these were engineering feats never seen previously. Much was accomplished in those 18 years.
1893 – Excavation Begins
Building the Massive Granite Foundations and Piers
1899 – Services Begin in the Crypt
1899 – Great Eastern Arch is Finished
1901 – Belmont Chapel (St. Savior) is Underway
1903 -Installation of the Eight Monumental Granite Columns
1903 – Fundraising Push
1904 – First Use of Mohegan Golden Granite on the Walls of the Choir and the Apse.
1906 – King Chapel (Chapel of St. Columba) is Underway
1907 – George Heins, architect, partner in the firm Heins & LaFarge, dies, voiding the contract between the firm and the Cathedral. The Trustees retain Grant LaFarge to complete Crossing, Choir and High Altar.
1908 – Bishop Henry Codman Potter Dies. He led the effort to build the Cathedral from the laying of the cornerstone.
1908 Installation of The Guastavino tile ceiling and roof over the Choir completed.
1909 Temporary Guastavino Dome over Crossing is complete
1909 to 1911 – The Completion of Interior Stone Work on the Choir and Chancel
The Consecration on April 19, 1911 at the Cathedral concludes the first phase of construction. The foundations for the Nave would begin in 1916. World War I and the lack of funds caused it to stop. The laying of the Cornerstone for the Nave will not happen until 1925. A month after the Consecration, the Trustees dismiss architect LaFarge. Immediately, they install Ralph Adams Cram as consulting architect.
On the left, the eastern end of the Cathedral as seen from Morningside Drive. On the right, the western end of the Crossing walled in. The Nave will begin at this point more than a decade later.
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- The majority of the images shown here are from the Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, New York Public Library, unless otherwise noted.
One reply on “April 19, 1911 at the Cathedral”
Dear Mr. Murphy,
I am Tim de Christopher, once employed by Cathedral Stoneworks as a draftsman and carver at St. John’s, from 1990-92. I used to walk past the photo of Eduardo Ardolino when walking into the gift shop of the cathedral on a regular basis. I always admired the image of what struck me as an obviously Italian stone carver at work. It made me think of my grandfather, a stone cutter from Italy.
Much to my surprise I have recently learned that the man in the picture is Eduardo Ardolfino, and he was from the same town as my grandfather, Torre le Nocelle, in Avollino. Also to my great surprise, and delight, I discovered we were cousins.
It has made me feel an even deeper connection to the cathedral, a place and an experience I will never forget.