Moravian Preservation Master Plan.indb - Society for College and ...

Moravian College • Preservation Master Plan
that Old Chapel had a ground-floor kitchen with a
large commercial gas range, bake oven, dishwasher,
and steam tables. The upper floors were used as
classrooms (Hampson 1947:9).
In 1977, the exterior of Old Chapel was restored. The
interior was renovated in 1980, creating Hearst Hall
in the former chapel space (Schamberger 2008).
Signifi cance
Figure 8-45. Old Chapel/Hearst Hall, view to northwest (JMA
2008).
Old Chapel is significant as the first of several
connecting buildings that eventually formed the
Church Street campus with the Single Brethren’s
House as a hub. It was also the first separate
chapel constructed at the Female Seminary, which
previously used space within the Single Brethren’s
House for that purpose. Old Chapel is also the only
example of Gothic Revival architecture on the Hurd
Campus.
Integrity
Figure 8-46. Old Chapel/Hearst Hall, view to northeast (JMA
2008).
The exterior of Old Chapel has had its brickwork
restored and appears to be very intact, with the
exception of replaced windows on the east side. The
interior has moderate to low integrity. The upper
level space in Old Chapel has been beautifully
adapted into Hearst Hall, a recital hall, but retention
of historic fabric is moderate and confined to the
windows, chair rail, and cove ceiling. The two
lower levels have been fully renovated with modern
finishes and lack integrity.
Condition
Summary
Figure 8-47. Old Chapel/Hearst Hall, first-floor kitchen/servery
ca. 1929 (Moravian College Viewbook [1929]). This space is now
the servery for Clewell Dining Hall.
the new dining room next door. It is still the kitchen
for the Clewell Dining Hall in the first floor of New
Chapel/Peter Hall, and it appears that this use was
continuous over time. Sanborn maps from the early
twentieth century show Old Chapel labeled as a
dormitory. A 1947 fire insurance survey indicates
Old Chapel is a three-story gabled brick building
situated between New Chapel/Peter Hall and the
Single Brethren’s House and perpendicular to both.
It connects to New Chapel on its south end. On its
north end, it is connected to the Single Brethren’s
House directly, and also connected to West Hall via
a four-story hyphen. Old Chapel has a slate roof
and brick façade exposed on its east and west sides.
The top floor has double-hung original windows
with Gothic pointed transoms on both sides. The
foundation of the building is covered with parged
cement.
Additions
New Chapel/Peter Hall was constructed abutting
the south wall in 1867, and is connected via a
full-height stairwell at the south end of the building.
John Milner Associates • October 2009 • Chapter 8 • Historic Buildings • 189