In my first year at ACerS, I hit some pretty big milestones. I attended my first industry exposition this May in Cleveland, Ohio, which is definitely different from attending a science conference (see my writeups on the expo here and here). Then in July I flew to Toronto, Canada, for a combined sustainable development–biomaterials meeting, which was seriously awesome. (Did you know glass is used to heal wounds?)
Following the Toronto meeting, I flew to Montreal for a mini vacation with my Cali friend (check out some pictures from that trip in the slideshows below). And in October I traveled to Portland, Oregon, to attend ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T19. (See my summaries of that meeting here, here, and here.) The last meeting I attended for the year was in Columbus, on overcoming problems in glass manufacturing.
This year definitely kept me very busy, and I regret that I did not find more time to post here on my activities. (Probably that will be one of next year’s resolutions.) But I wanted to let you know that my explorations of Columbus have continued, and on December 7, I attended a really neat walking tour of some local churches.
The Columbus Landmarks Foundation
The Columbus Landmarks Foundation is a nonprofit organization that advocates for, promotes, and preserves Columbus landmarks and neighborhoods. It was founded in 1977 following the loss of the 1897 Daniel Burnham designed Union Station and the subsequent fight to save the remaining Arch (which now resides in the Columbus Arena District).
One way Columbus Landmarks raises money to repair and preserve old landmarks is through tours of historic sites, such as the Hallelujah Holiday Tour of Churches in December.
The Great Hallelujah Holiday Tour of Churches
I first heard of this tour in the Columbus Navigator newsletter (my favorite way of finding things to do in Columbus). The tour takes place downtown, where a number of historically and architecturally significant churches reside.
This year’s tour took place Saturday, December 7. It lasted three hours and included four churches. Below is information on each church (courtesy the Columbus Landmarks pamphlet) and pictures I took during the tour.
“First Congregational Church was designed by John Russell Pope of New York, one of the most prominent American architects of the 1920s and 1930s. Other buildings he designed include the Jefferson Memorial and the National Gallery of Art, both in Washington D.C. The Columbus architect who worked with Pope was Howard Dwight Smith, who designed Ohio Stadium and Indianola Jr. High School.”
“First Church was built in the Late Gothic Revival style and has features typical of a medieval cathedral: cruciform plan; tall nave flanked by low aisles; clerestory windows; Gothic arches; stained glass with stone tracery; and a copper spire ringed by gargoyles. Built of Neshaminy stone, the church features finely crafted details throughout from its light fixtures and door pulls to downspouts and stained glass. An Education Wing added in 1962 was designed by Brooks and Coddington Architects in a modern style that borrows elements of the Gothic Revival building.”
“St. Joseph Cathedral is one of the oldest Catholic Churches in Columbus and is the most significant because it is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Columbus, which covers 17 Ohio counties. The church is so named because it houses the cathedra, the seat of the Bishop who is the head of the church in this region. Multiple architects including Michael Harding, Joseph Brooks, Joseph Hartman and William Rosencrans (the bishop’s brother) all had a hand in the original design of the building.”
“The cornerstone was laid in 1866, even though the diocese was not formed until 1868. It was originally designed to have a brick exterior, but it was changed to stone to reflect its significant within the diocese. The building, an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture, took 12 years to complete. Among the character-defining Gothic Revival details are the pointed arch windows, the groin-vaulted ceiling, and the pointed arch openings supported by marble columns.”
“Trinity Episcopal Church is the oldest building on Capitol Square, except for the Ohio Statehouse. Completed in 1869, it was designed by Gordon W. Lloyd, a Detroit architect born in England. Like St. Joseph Cathedral, it is an example of the mid-19th century Gothic Revival, a romantic Victorian style based upon the buildings of the middle ages.”
“The cruciform plan with nave, transepts, chancel, and sanctuary is typical of medieval English churches on which this church is based. Other typical features include the asymmetrical massing, stone construction, Gothic arches, wood-beamed ceiling, trefoils, quatrefoils and other common Gothic motifs. The altar of white marble is patterned after a fifth century altar in Ravenna, Italy. The hand-carved reredos (the screen above the altar) features Christ and the four disciples – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Church in the World window on the Third Street elevation features prominent Columbus landmarks including Ohio Stadium and the LeVeque Tower.”
Broad Street United Methodist Church was designed by Columbus architect Joseph Warren Yost, who later entered into partnership with Frank Packard, architect of Broad Street Presbyterian Church and many other notable buildings. Yost chose the Akron Plan for the interior of this building featuring an auditorium style sanctuary with a sloping floor. The design provided good sight lines and brought the congregation closer to the speaker.”
“The building exterior was designed in the High Victorian Gothic style, widely employed for churches and other religious architecture in the 1870s and 1880s. The overall vertical emphasis, use of pointed arches and other complexity are typical of the style. The building is unusual in Columbus in that it is faced in Serpentine stone, which gives it the green hue. Inside, the wainscot and ceiling are fine examples of Victorian woodworking. The large window facing Broad Street is a particularly good example of the stained glass of the time.”
Each church was completely unique, and I find it difficult to pick a favorite. I did find the Broad Street auditorium style architecture a really nice layout, though, as it definitely made the congregation feel more connected with the speaker.
Before I conclude today’s post, there is one more thing I wish to mention. All the work I did this year for ACerS was recognized by my editor—at my annual review, I was told my official title is now associate editor! Happy holidays, everyone! | Who knew the first Wendy's location was here in Columbus?! |