Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church
of
Baltimore, Maryland
,
United States
, is a large,
Gothic Revival
-style
Presbyterian
church
located at Park and Lafayette Avenues in the city's
Bolton Hill
section. The church is noted for its ornate
stained glass
windows by the renowned artist
Louis Comfort Tiffany
, soaring vaulted ceiling, and prominent persons associated with its history. Maltbie Babcock, who was the church's pastor 1887–1900, wrote the familiar hymn,
This is My Father's World
. Storied virtuoso concert performer
Virgil Fox
was organist at Brown Memorial early in his career (1936–1946). Called "one of the most significant buildings in this city, a treasure of art and architecture" by
Baltimore Magazine
, the church underwent a $1.8 million restoration between 2001–2003.
A portion of the congregation decided in 1956 to build a church in the suburban Woodbrook area north of Baltimore. Others members wished to remain at the Bolton Hill location, prompting a decision to operate one church at two locations, with a shared ministerial staff. This arrangement continued until 1980, when the congregations of the two churches voted for separation. The original Bolton Hill church was subsequently referred to as "Brown Memorial Park Avenue", to distinguish it from "Brown Memorial Woodbrook".