Episcopal Church of the Nativity

By Leepaxton at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Location:

33 Alice St, Pittsburgh, PA 15205

Description:

The Episcopal Church of the Nativity is a historic parish and church building in the borough of Crafton (near Pittsburgh), established in 1872 by local leaders as one of the earliest Episcopal congregations in the community. The congregation quickly outgrew its original structure; the cornerstone for the first church edifice was laid in 1873, and services began there later that year, making Nativity one of Crafton’s oldest places of worship. Over time, as the parish expanded and Crafton developed, the current church building was constructed in 1910, reflecting the early twentieth‑century ecclesiastical architectural sensibilities of modest yet purposeful parish church design, and a wing addition was completed in 1955 to support educational and community functions.

Architecturally, the church building is characterized by its traditional plan, use of masonry materials, and interior features such as a sanctuary with stained glass windows and a historic Möller pipe organ (installed in 1913)—elements that underscore both the aesthetic and communal values of a parish that has served Crafton families for more than a century. The undercroft and additional floors have historically supported parish education, community group meetings, and fellowship functions, tying the structure’s physical form to its ongoing role in local social and spiritual life.