This historic church stands on the south side of Washington Square, in the heart of the New York University district of the Village. It was designed by the well-known architect Stanford White, of the New York firm of McKim, Mead & White, & the church itself was constructed between 1888 & 1893. The tower & church hall went up a few years later. The structure was originally built as a Baptist institution & was dedicated to Baptist missionary Adoniram Judson. There were many wealthy & influential Baptists in New York, among them John D. Rockefeller, & these New York potentates underwrote design & construction of the church in order to provide a meeting place for the elite who lived north of Washington Square & the burgeoning immigrant populations to the south, in lower Manhattan. The Italianate tower & other Lombardo-Romanesque features were designed with Italian immigrants in mind. Along with White, other prominent artisans were employed for the fine details ~ for example, stained glass was created by John LaFarge, & sculptures by Augustus St. Gaudens. Today, Judson Memorial Church is still a gathering place with a social conscience & an inter-faith presence in the community. It opens its doors to all & sundry, & is a vital part of the NYU experience. As a peace & justice center, it is a haven for many New Yorkers & an architectural, historical, & cultural landmark for all.