Episcopal - Historic Buildings of Connecticut

Christ Church Tashua (1846)

Christ Church, the Episcopal parish in the Tashua area of Trumbull, was organized about 1760, by which time the residents had built a small wooden church. The parish began as a mission of Christ Church in Statford, the oldest Episcopal parish in Connecticut. In 1788, the parish voted to build a new church by subscription. As described in Vol. 2 of Samuel Orcutt’s A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City Bridgeport (1886), the church was proportioned

not to exceed 50 feet in length, and 34 in breadth, and 24 in height. Also to be 24 windows in said church, of six-by-eight glass, thirty panes in each window, exclusive of the arch. This edifice was located, apparently, on the north side of the highway, where it remained until the present one was erected. The same year it was voted to call the parish Trinity Church, and by that name it was known in the records for many years. In June, 1790, the church was so far advanced that by vote of the parish the pew spots were sold at public veendue, the buyers being obligated to pay the prices bid and build the pews in one year from the time of purchase. The pews were to be in uniform style, as they were in the North Fairfield meeting house. The purchase money was applied towards the expense of building the church. The pew spots, except two, were sold for $310.66. The square pews were sixteen in number, being the wall pews round the building. The chancel was on the north side, and there was a door in the opposite side and one also at the east and west ends. In the body of church there were long, open seats free to all. A tower and spire were built at the west entrance in 1823.

The erection of the current church was begun in 1846 and the building was consecrated on May 28, 1847. While there have been additions, the church remains an excellent and very well preserved example of the Carpenter Gothic style.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Mystic (1867)

Begun as a mission in 1859, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Mystic was organized as a parish in 1865. That same year, the parish acquired land at what is now 15 Pearl Street for a church. The cornerstone was laid in 1866 and the first service was held on Christmas Morning, 1867. Once the church was free from its large construction debt of $9,000, the building was dedicated on St. Mark’s Day, April 25, 1873. An education wing was erected in 1962.

All Saints Episcopal Church, Meriden (1893)

As related in An Historic Record and Pictorial Description of the Town of Meriden, Connecticut AKA A Century of Meriden (1906):

A[l]though the present attractive edifice of All Saints’ Protestant Episcopal Church, was not occupied for services until Ash Wednesday, 1893, some eight years or more previous it became evident that the erection of a church was definitely contemplated for that section of Meriden. The first service was held in the dwelling house, 273 West Main street on December 13, 1885[.]

A women’s sewing circle began raising money to build a church. Their funds were augmented by a bequest of $10,000 by Mrs. Phoebe A. Hallam, in honor of her late husband, the Rev. R. A. Hallam, D. D., at one time rector of St. Andrews Church in Meriden. All Saints Memorial Church was built at 215 West Main Street and consecrated on November 17, 1893. In more recent years, as the parish faced declining attendance, they began meeting at Immanuel Lutheran Church on Hanover Street. The old church building on West Main Street was sold in 2009 and bought by Rock of Salvation Church (Roca De Salvacion).

Trinity Episcopal Church, Nichols (1965)

Trinity Episcopal Church, in the Nichols section of Trumbull, was organized in 1848. The original church was located at the corner of Huntington Turnpike and Jerusalem Hill Road. In 1939, the church was moved further north when the Merritt Parkway was constructed. The old church was replaced by the current one, at 1734 Huntington Turnpike, in 1965.

St. James’s Episcopal Church, West Hartford (1962)

St. James Episcopal Church was organized in West Hartford in 1843. It was named St. James by Rev. Dr. George Burgess because St. John’s Church had just been erected in Hartford and Dr. Burgess felt that St. John’s brother, St. James, should also be honored. In 1855, the parish erected a church on the west side of Goodman Green. The congregation had limited growth for many years because West Hartford was long a rural community and most residents were members of the Congregational or Baptist churches. Many Episcopalians were drawn to St. John’s Church, which moved from Main Street in Hartford to Farmington Avenue, just across city line in West Hartford, in 1909. The congregation of St. James Church experienced rapid growth in the 1930s and 1940s and eventually outgrew its original church building. The parish soon undertook a three fold building program, purchasing a rectory in 19149, building a parish house in 1954 and constructing a new church, at 1018 Farmington Avenue, in 1962. The church was designed by Jeter and Cook of Hartford and Standard Builders was the general contractor.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Willimantic (1913)

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 220 Valley Street in Willimantic began as a mission of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Windham in 1865. Services were held in a rented hall until 1883. The history of the church can be found in A Modern History of Windham County, Connecticut, Vol. I (1920), edited by Allen B. Lincoln, from which the following details are excerpted:

In the year 1884, however, a small frame church building in Central Village was moved to the site. of the present edifice, on the corner of Walnut and Valley streets. [. . .] With the building came also the altar, the old communion set, and vestments. And thus after thirty years St. Paul’s, Willimantic, became a corporate parish, the first resident rector of which was the Rev. Isaac W. Hallam. From that time on the positions of the little mother church in Windham and her sturdy offspring in Willimantic were partially reversed; Willimantic becoming the residence of their mutual rector and absorbing the greater part of his time. [. . .] Meantime, a fund known as the Isabella Tracy Eaton Fund, was left to the parish, and from this the Missionary Society purchased a plot of ground adjoining the church property and erected a rectory thereon. [. . .]

A movement was started during Mr. Hatch’s incumbency to build a new church. A legacy of $20,000 had been left the parish by Mrs. Boardman of New Haven toward the erection of a new edifice for St. Paul’s parish, Willimantic, with the proviso that the parish should raise the needed balance. Pledges were secured for the amount, but the actual cash had not been turned in and Trinity College, Hartford, another beneficiary under the will, raised the legal technicality that the letter of the proviso had not been met, and the courts allowed only $10,000 of Mrs. Boardman’s estate to be applied to St. Paul’s legacy. This proceeding was regarded by many as a new proof that law and justice are not as close as hand and glove. As a local paper stated warmly, “Pledges as good as the Bank of England were secured,” but the law took its bland course and Trinity College was as triumphant as the cat that swallowed the canary.

However, the Missionary Society of the Diocese, deeming that the spirit of the will had been kept by the parish, added $9,500 to the $10,000 and the balance of $22,000 was raised by the people, with the consequence that the new church was built, and on September 24, 1913, was duly consecrated by Bishop Brewster.

The new structure is of gray stone, the interior finished in quartered oak. The old building was turned into a parish house, while the old chancel with its altar was enclosed and is used as a sacristy. [. . .]

Seven years after the new church building was completed, it was found necessary to partly rebuild the same as grave fundamental faults of construction had grown more and more evident. During the year 1919-1920 the work was done at an outlay of some $15,000. At the same time the parish house was enlarged and renovated. A new kitchen was built, a G.F.S. room added and furnished by the members of that society, who for the most part have shown themselves enthusiastic and conscientious church workers. The rectory was also thoroughly repaired. On Easter Day, 1920, the church was re-dedicated by Bishop E. C. Acheson.

Grace Episcopal Church, Hartford (1868)

Grace Episcopal Church in Hartford was first established in 1863 as a mission chapel of Trinity Church on Sigourney Street and became an independent parish in 1912. Part of the original church, consecrated on November 11, 1868, survives as the central section of the current church building. That building’s entrance and belfry faced New Park Avenue. A ten-foot addition was added to the front of the original 50’x 22′ chapel in 1908-1909. The building, located at 55 New Park Avenue, was further enlarged in 1966-1967, when the nave was lengthened to include the present choir loft and the sanctuary was also expanded. The entrance was moved to the south side, which also included a new bell tower, and the Chapel of Our Lady of Walsingham was added on the north side. The chapel was rededicated in 2006 with the installation of a new icon, to St. Martin, Grace Church’s patron saint. The church has a connected parish house designed by George Keller. (more…)