Cathedral of the Pines

Some posts are never completed in a timely manner. That was the case with one about a NH site that we visited last fall, but which never was posted about. We found that this site was amazingly beautiful for the views; but were saddened to learn the reason behind its creation. 

Cathedral of the Pines, Rindge, NH

Cathedral of the Pines is an open-air worship complex in Rindge, NH, located across 236 acres. It was created to honor the service of  American men and women, military and civilian. Contained on the grounds are sacred spaces, a multi-denominational sanctuary, and burial grounds. 

From its hilltop site, this wall-less cathedral commands a spectacular view of forested land highlighted by Mt. Monadnock at 3165 feet high. The grounds are open year round; visitors can freely explore from dawn to dusk. The gift shop, museum and facilities are open May to October.

Since the mid 1940s, the property has served as a worship site for over 25 different religions. It's also hosted weddings, baptisms, and funerals. 

 

At the entrance are the Mother's Chapel and the Women's Memorial Bell Tower. A short walk leads to the main sanctuary and the site's highlight, the Altar of the Nations, which has the most commanding views and has been designated a national memorial to American war dead. The altar, lectern, and pulpit, are made entirely of stone, the benches are wooden.

A winding path leads to cemetery plots, additional open-air chapels, a garden, and standing stones with carved inscriptions from the Bible and other spiritual texts, including inscriptions in Hebrew. Several longer trails lead through the woods and to two nearby ponds.

The history behind this serene setting was the result of a WW II tragedy.

The Back Story

Sibyl and Douglas Sloane

In October 1935, Douglas and Sibyl Sanderson Sloane, were looking for a property, close to their Newtonville, MA, home. Unable to find a suitable one in MA, they looked next in NH and, in 1937, purchased a heavily wooded 128-acre property in Rindge. They thought that one or more of their four children, Douglas, Sanderson (Sandy), Margaret, and John (Jack), might build homes there.

One piece of the property included a narrow trail, surrounded by giant pines near a knoll. The trees were so thick that the overhead canopy blocked most of the sunlight. In 1938, after a hurricane swept through the property, the family gave lumbermen access to remove damaged trees. 

Months later, Douglas, Sibyl and Sandy Sloane hiked the knoll to view the storm's aftermath, damage and tree removal. Amazingly, they found that a panoramic view of Mt. Monadnock was now visible. Sandy selected the knoll as his future home site as it was just like a cathedral.

Lt. Sanderson (Sandy) Sloane

After the U.S. entered WW II, Sandy and Jack Sloane were accepted by the Army Air Corps. Sandy asked that nothing be done on the land; he wanted to be there to build his future home. He had married Margaret (Pegs) Allen soon after starting flight school. 

In 1943, he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant and awarded his wings. After his commission to 1st lieutenant, he was assigned to pilot a B-17 bomber, that he named Peg-O-My-Heart. While being briefed for overseas duty he learned of the birth of Sandy, Jr.

Lt. Sloane had nearly flown enough missions on the B-17 bomber to qualify for home leave. 

That never happened. In February 1944, the entire B-17 crew died then the plane was shot down in mid-air and crashed in Germany. Lt. Sloane was 27 years old. His brother, Jack survived missions on a B-26 bomber and returned home safely. (Lt. Sloane was awarded the Air Medal with three clusters and the Purple Heart.)

Knoll site Sandy selected for a future home

In the summer of 1945, his family and friends visited Sandy’s knoll to clear away brush and
trees, and to plan for a memorial “cathedral” there. In August 1945, the family held the first service  which marks when the Cathedral of the Pines first began. Despite a rainstorm, the 127 neighbors and friends who had come, sat in their cars until it stopped, then stood under dripping pines to hold the first service. 

Word soon spread about the extraordinarily beautiful site as people asked to use the pine knoll for religious services. The Sloane family offered its use at no fee, a policy that continues to this day.

Because of this strong community response, the Sloane family decided to erect a permanent memorial on the property. The vision and the name, cathedral, was selected as a memorial to those fallen in service to the nation. The family welcomed people of all faiths, and developed the site into a series of outdoor chapels, gardens, and other memorials. 

Cathedral of the Pines views

As a further tribute to his son and war veterans of all faiths, Douglas Sloane undertook creation of The Altar of the Nation, now considered one of the most significant war memorials in the world. Sandy's widow, Pegs, selected the permanent site.

Altar of the Nation at Cathedral of the Pines

The Altar of the Nation was constructed in 1945-46. It includes stones from all 50 states and from every U.S. President since Harry Truman. Numerous stones come from the battlefields of WW I and WW II in Europe. There are tributes from the Pacific Theater of WW II with stones from Japan, the Coral Sea, and the shores of Iwo Jima, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. There's also a stone from the German town where Lt. Sloane’s plane went down. 

There is a stone from Plymouth Rock, MA, and stones from the battlefields of Lexington, Concord, and Yorktown where the American Revolution began and ended. Three stones from the Parthenon in Athens and a stone from the ancient Colosseum in Rome are also embedded in the altar. There's also a stone from the German town where Lt. Sloane’s plane was downed. In 1957, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives designated the Altar of the Nation as a national memorial to all American war dead. 

Three slabs of Verde Antique marble weighing more than half a ton each form the altar top. These came from a Maryland quarry that straddles the Mason Dixon line, the boundary separating the North and South during the Civil War. Soil from Mt Zion in Jerusalem is mixed into the mortar that binds the marble to the altar. The altar’s granite cross was quarried in Fitzwilliam, NH, and given by Lt. Sloane’s brothers in his memory. 

A few of the medallions on the pulpit 

A nearby lectern, topped by a natural stone in the likeness of an open book is dedicated to the memory of Lt Sloane’s B-17 bomber crew. It incorporates soils from many major battlefields of WW II, Appomattox, the Alamo, Jamestown, VA. The stone top was found in 1935 on a rocky shore near the Sloane's summer home in Lake George, NY. It was originally planned for use in an outdoor chapel on their Newtonville, MA, property. The altar's field stone pulpit, also built in 1946, is dedicated to the memory of the pioneers and men and women of Rindge, NH, who served their country. Medallions on the pulpit represent various veterans groups and fraternal organizations.

Ironically, some of the funds to build the Altar of the Nation came from the late Sandy Sloane. After he began playing high school football, his father was persuaded to take out a life and accident insurance policy. His father later offered Sandy the policy with premiums paid to date, and told him he could keep or cash it. Sandy told his father that if he continued paying the premiums, he'd appreciate the gift later. Little did he know how significant this gift would come years later.

Memorial Bell Tower and Tree of Life

The 55-foot tall Women’s Memorial Bell Tower is one of the property's most prominent features, certainly it's the tallest. The stone bell tower is dedicated to American women, both civilian and military. Built in 1965-66, it was dedicated in May 1966 and was the first memorial to recognize both military and civilian women American Women who have served the nation. 

The Tree of Life inside the tower was designed by Douglas Sloane and dedicated to all American nurses who lost their lives in service. It was designed to represent a woman’s backbone, courage, stamina, and determination. Twelve types of fruit hang from tree limbs: (breadfruit, pear, fig, peach, olive, orange, avocado, apple, lemon, cherry, pomegranate,  plum).

Four bronze plaques drawn by Norman Rockwell and sculpted by his son, Peter, adorn the exterior of the tower. Castings were done in Italy under Peter’s direction.

Four plaques on the Women's Memorial Bell Tower

The first plaque depicts five women in profile: the Sisters of Charity, the Salvation Army Lassie, the Entertainer, the War Correspondent, and the Riveter. The second plaque honors women nurses serving in the armed forces, depicts Clara Barton assisting a wounded soldier. A third plaque honors pioneer women. The final fourth plaque depicts women representing each of the five branches of the military: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

All the tower bells were donated: Carillonic English bells were given by the Kiwanis Clubs of New England. The Flemish bells and the Sheffield steel Angelus bell were also donated. A large 1,800 pound Sheffield steel bell was cast in 1866 by the Vickers Company in England, which for many years hung in the old City Hall tower in Keene, NH.

An onsite museum, the Peter J. Booras Museum holds service-related memorabilia. Booras was a successful Keene, NH, businessman, where his family ran a restaurant for years. A veteran himself, Booras was a loyal supporter of the cathedral who, in the 70s and 80s, brought upwards of 2,000 people to services at the cathedral.

The trunk of Lt. Sloane with letters to his wife and family photos

The museum has hundreds of artifacts that have been donated over the last 60 years. Two highlights are: Sandy’s footlocker containing dozens of letters that he wrote home to Pegs. There’s a display that features his younger brother, Jack, a B-26 pilot. The museum has some artifacts from WW I, but most are from WW II. It is believed to hold the second largest collection of purple heart medals worldwide.

Hilltop House at Cathedral of the Pines

The Hilltop House, built in 1949, for clergy, choirs and small services, was added onto in
1982. This addition accommodates up to 125 people for services or weddings during inclement weather. It serves as the visitor’s center as well. Here too, there's many stones and artifacts throughout the walls, including the Blarney Stone from Ireland and a stone from the death camp of Auschwitz.

There’s also a Mother’s Chapel honoring all mothers, a Ten Commandments monolith, the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel with Our Lady of Monadnock statue. The baptismal font built in 1948 is in memory of Sanderson Sloane, Jr., only child of Sanderson and Margaret Allen Sloane, who died from pneumonia in 1946 at the age of 3.

Gravesite of Lt. Sloane & son

The grave of Lt. Sloane and his son are located to the right of the Sloane Family Cemetery, the closest one to the altar. Douglas and Sibyl Sloane are buried in the family cemetery which is reserved for family members and trustees.

If you are ever in NH and want to visit, the address is: Cathedral of the Pines, 10 Hale Hill Road, Rindge, NH 03461

We are planning a return this spring.