Pottsville congregation’s Tiffany windows find a new home in a Pennsylvania museum
The Allentown Art Museum will unveil its newest acquisitions during the weekend of April 26-27
On Saturday, April 26, the Allentown Art Museum will be unveiling to the public two new additions to its permanent collection: massive stained-glass windows designed and created by Tiffany Studios of New York, relocated from their previous home at United Presbyterian Church in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where they had lived for a century. This relocation was a long time coming — the process began more than eight years ago.
There were the typical contractual hangups, including the time needed to fundraise — and then the Covid pandemic halted much of the collaborators’ progress. Fundraising started again in earnest in late 2021, and finally, three years later, the windows were removed from United Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary and sent off for restoration.
These two exquisite examples of American decorative art were created by Tiffany Studios in the early 20th century. Not to be confused with Tiffany & Co., his father’s business, Louis Comfort Tiffany established Tiffany Studios in 1885. These pieces are made of leaded glass, a distinctly American version of stained glass, which Louis incorporated into his windows, lamps and other interior décor pieces. The design of these windows has been attributed to Tiffany Studios lead designer Agnes Northrop (1857-1953), who often collaborated with Louis in the creation of landscape-centric memorial windows.
The window on the left dates to 1913 and memorializes Heber S. Thompson (1840-1911). The artwork was inspired by Isaiah 55:1: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.” Thompson was a ruling elder at United Presbyterian for 41 years, a Civil War soldier who spent four months in South Carolina as a prisoner of the Confederates, and a figure in the Pottsville coal-mining operations of the 20th century.
On April 18, 1861, the Washington Artillerists of Pottsville arrived in Washington, D.C., where they were welcomed in person by President Lincoln. As part of the first companies to arrive, Thompson and his troops are known as “The First Defenders,” which is also the title of his compiled history of the companies. Thompson’s legacy is being preserved at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where the Ravi D. Goel Collection of Heber S. Thompson lives. The collection highlights Thompson’s experiences as the first Yale College student to answer Lincoln’s call after the Battle of Fort Sumter and includes materials that were donated to the museum in December 2024.
After the war, Thompson returned to Pottsville. Back in his hometown, he and his brother William started an iron and hardware business, which lasted until 1871. At that time, Thompson turned his focus to the study of civil and mining engineering. He was appointed by the Board of Directors of City Trusts of Philadelphia to manage the mining operations of Stephen Girard’s estate. Thompson held various positions in town, as well, including president of the Miners’ National Bank of Pottsville and director of the Pottsville Hospital.
The window on the right dates to 1919 and memorializes long-time parishioner Sarah Ann Derr (1834-1918). It was commissioned by her son, Louis Derr, and reads, “He leadeth me beside the still waters” from Psalm 23. Louis died in 1923 at the age of 54. A biography was published in commemoration of his life in the December 1925 edition of “Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,” of which he had been a member since 1908.
Louis Derr was a Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he published a textbook titled “Photography for Students of Physics and Chemistry” in 1906. After graduating from MIT and Amherst College, Derr accepted a teaching position at the Institute and remained there until his death, “thus rounding out a period of continuous service of 31 years.” He became a leading pioneer in the “development of the instruction in theoretical and applied photography,” and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in April 1908. In the final paragraph of this biographical sketch, it’s made known that Professor Derr “took an active part in civic and church affairs in his home town,” a truth immortalized by the memorial window he commissioned in honor of his mother for her home church.
Prior offers made for the purchasing of the windows had fallen short, many of them coming from private collectors and glass companies. When the United Presbyterian Church folks were approached by one of their own in 2016 — then-stated clerk for Lehigh Presbytery, Marsha Heimann, with the suggestion of relocating them to the museum — they were all ears. “Add in that the building where the Allentown Art Museum is located was formerly the First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, and it just seemed like a perfect fit,” the Synod of the Trinity, which includes United Presbyterian Church, said in a March 4 news feature about the sale of the windows.
Prior to their removal and restoration in the fall of 2024, the windows had been cleaned, and small repairs had been made about 15 years earlier. For being more than 100 years old, the windows were in remarkable shape when purchased by the museum, thanks to the dedication of members of the congregation, who cared for them the best they could on their own. Now, the congregation is content knowing that their treasured windows — and the Pennsylvania Presbyterian history attached to them — will be preserved and cared for with diligence in their new home.
The congregation decided to have vinyl replicas of the original Tiffany windows made, which they’ve mounted in place of the originals. Though not true stained glass, the laminate and acrylic panels are so detailed that it’s difficult to see a difference from the originals.
Saying “see you later” to a piece of institutional history will always hurt. “It’s been an emotional transition for the congregation,” the synod writes, “but one that was ultimately the right choice for everyone involved.”
It helps to know that the museum has gone, and will continue to go, to great lengths to honor the windows and their history. The two Tiffany windows will be installed by the original front entrance of the First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, and their display will include a lighting design that fades and brightens, mimicking the path of the sun throughout the day.
It feels right that these pieces of American, Presbyterian, and Pennsylvanian history have moved from one historic church building to another, and we look forward to seeing how they will further the sharing of the past, the importance of remembrance, and the ever-present connections between different realms of history. Visitors will be able to experience the majesty of these intricate landscapes and watch them come alive, thanks to the partnership between United Presbyterian Church and the Allentown Art Museum.
If you’re eager to see them for yourself, the museum has recently announced the “Summer of Tiffany,” a campaign of programming set for the summer months to highlight and draw folks to the museum. Admission to the museum is free, and you can check out the line-up of events here. Who knows? When you visit, maybe you’ll run into a United Presbyterian Church member. With the sanctuary only 30 miles from the museum, they can visit the windows whenever they like.
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