New York City boasts one of the city’s most brutalist facades, seemingly leading to a bunker, the Masons’ main vault, or an army depot. But in reality, it’s a church, and it’s called The Salvation Army.
It turns out that The Salvation Army is a Christian movement, both a church and a charitable organization. From its inception, it has been dedicated to helping the poor, the homeless, addicts, and migrants.
Interestingly, the motivation for its founder, William Booth, to found his own church was a conflict with the leadership of the Methodist Church of England, which demanded that pastors be “sedentary” and lead a flock in a single parish. Booth considered this absurd, arguing that the flock he needed didn’t attend any parishes: they lived in slums, prisons, shelters, and on the streets. So William left the official church and started his own, which by 1878 had become known as the Salvation Army.
The word “army” is no accident, as within the religious organization there was a true vertical chain of command. The Army was divided into soldiers and officers. Soldiers held regular secular jobs and devoted only their free time to Salvation Army activities. Officers, on the other hand, worked full-time for the Salvation Army and received a small salary. They held various ranks (captain, major, colonel, or general) and commanded various units, depending on their rank.
In 1880, the first official detachment of the Salvation Army landed in New York City. They consisted of seven female officers and their commander, George Scott Railton. The first street service of the detachment was met with whistles, jeers, and the throwing of eggs by local residents. Several were arrested for disturbing the peace.
As you might imagine, this didn’t faze the guys at all. And, as often happens after such a start, things took off, and within five years they were already completing their own building. And in 1935, a three-building complex was erected on the same site: Centennial Memorial Temple — a four-story auditorium building (the one pictured here, with a 1,000-seat concert hall), a 12-story office building, and a 17-story dormitory.
The complex’s architect was Ralph Walker, New York City’s foremost Art Deco architect. In 1957, The New York Times named him “the architect of the century.” Frank Lloyd Wright called him “the only other honest architect in America” — which, for Wright, was the highest praise. Walker’s portfolio includes the Western Union Building at 60 Hudson Street, the Irving Trust Bank at 1 Wall Street, and the New Jersey Bell Headquarters.
Today, the Salvation Army operates in 131 countries and helps over 25 million Americans annually. The Red Kettle program raises over $150 million in the United States during the Christmas season alone. In New York City, there are approximately 25 centers throughout the boroughs: shelters, food pantries, rehabilitation centers, and children’s camps. Officially, it is a Protestant denomination in the evangelical tradition. That is, a church. With a concert hall in the fortress on 14th Street.
📍The Salvation Army / 120 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011
Website: thecmt.org
