May 14, 1764: Foundation Stone of St. Paul's Chapel

The foundation stone of St. Paul's Chapel was laid on May 14, 1764 on what was then called "The Broadway." The first services were held over two years later, on October 30, 1766. This fall, St. Paul's Chapel will celebrate its 250th anniversary. 

St. Paul's Chapel was created as the second "chapel of ease" by Trinity Parish. The city’s population had grown, and additional Anglican churches were needed. Also, Trinity Church was in a busy area of town, while St. Paul’s was in a quieter, more pastoral area.

If you came to service at St. Paul’s in the 1760s, you would see “groves and orchards surround[ing] the site, which was not fenced in for some time.”