On August 26, 1899, the upper portion of the steeple (including the heavy capstone) of the Pearl Street Congregational Church in Hartford was brought to earth safely through the efforts of contractor William F. O’Neil. This feat of engineering, which was witnessed by a crowd of thousands and was captured in a photograph, was the culmination of weeks of planning, preparation and public scrutiny. The ongoing work of church demolition, and speculation about how the steeple would finally be brought down, attracted the attention of passers-by, who marveled at the dangerous work of steeple-climber John Kiffe. The ongoing work also sparked a number of reminiscences about the building and the colorful personalities associated with it from a number of long-time Hartford residents. Utilizing contemporary accounts from the Hartford Courant and the Hartford Times newspapers, this video brings to life those days in August of 1899 when a Hartford landmark was reduced to rubble. It shows how a complicated problem of engineering was solved and reminds us of the fascinating personalities that inhabited the city over 200 years ago.
#hartford #hartfordct #architecture #demolition #churches #1899 #steeple
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