St. John's Episcopal Church (Detroit, Michigan)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

St. John's Episcopal Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
St. John's Episcopal Church, seen from across Woodward
Location:	Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates:	42°20′23.51″N 83°3′8.84″W / 42.3398639, -83.0524556Coordinates: 42°20′23.51″N 83°3′8.84″W / 42.3398639, -83.0524556
Built/Founded:	1859
Architect:	Albert Jordan; James Anderson
Architectural style(s):	Gothic Revival
Added to NRHP:	August 03, 1982
NRHP Reference#:	82002906[1]
MPS:	Religious Structures of Woodward Ave. TR
Governing body:	Private

St. John's Episcopal Church is located at 2326 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan (at the corner of Woodward and the Fisher Freeway service drive). It is the oldest church still standing on Woodward.^[2]

[edit] History^[3]

The parish of St. John's was organized in Detroit in 1858, primarily due to the effors of Henry Porter Baldwin, a successful merchant (who later became governor of Michigan and a United States senator). Porter purchased and donated a lot on the northern outskirts of Detroit at the corner of Woodward and High Street (now I-75). Porter also donated money to build a rectory and a 150-seat chapel, designed by Jordan and Anderson.

When the chapel was dedicated in 1859, it was already too small for the burgeoning congregation. A new Church was commissioned from Jordan and Anderson and quickly constructed; it was consecrated on December 10, 1861.

The church is unusual in using the traditional 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer, in combination with the Anglican Missal.

[edit] Architecture^[3]

St. John's is an excellent example of Victorian Gothic architecture, measuring 170 feet by 65 feet. The belfry, the tallest section of the building, rises 105 feet. The bulk of the exterior is rubble limestone, with the trim made of Kelly Island sandstone. The side walls and roof are supported by buttresses and hammer beam trusses. Decorative gargoyles festoon the roof line and hood moldings above the windows and doors. The interior has galleries cantilevered on three sides; originially there were no intermediary piers to support the roof, giving the church an auditorium feel.^[2]

There are six memorial stained glass windows on either side of the nave. These were installed between 1880 to 1954. The upper portions of the windows, above the stained glass, are still the original grisaille and colored glass. An additional window, above the west gallery, was dedicated in 1963.

The altar, installed in 1873, is constructed of white Caen stone altar; it serves as a memorial to the mother of then-Rector George Worthington. Most of the rest of the chancel furnishings were donated as memorials during the renovations in 1892. These include the screen made from wrought iron and Caen stone, the harmonizing pulpit, and the brass lectern. Hand-carved oak clergy and choir stalls were added following the 1936 renovation.

There have been two major architectural alterations to St. John's since the church was built The first, in 1892, deepened the chancel to create space for the organ console and the choir. This alteration required that the original chapel be taken down and rebuilt ten feet farther east. In 1936, Woodward Avenue was widened. To make way for the wider street, the entire church and chapel were moved 60 feet backwards.

The oldest part of the church, the chapel, still stands, and includes a number of stained glass windows. A State of Michigan historical marker now marks the church.^[4]

[edit] External Sites

• St. John's Episcopal Church
• St. John's from Detroit1701.org

[edit] References

v • d • e City of Detroit Architecture • Celebrities • Culture • Economy • Government • History • Historic Places • International Riverfront • Lake St. Clair • Media • Metroparks and beaches • Music • Neighborhoods • Sports • Theatre • Tourism See also: Metro Detroit

v • d • e Religious landmarks in metropolitan Detroit Woodward Avenue (street address #) Mariners' Church • Central United Methodist • St. John's Episcopal Church (2326) • Woodward Avenue Baptist Church • First Unitarian (2870) • First Presbyterian (2930) • Temple Beth-El (3424) • First Congregational • Cathedral Church of St. Paul (4800) • Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church (5930) • Metropolitan United Methodist Church (8000) • First Baptist Church of Detroit (8501) • Woodward Ave. Presbyterian Church (8601) • North Woodward Congregational Church (8715) • Temple Beth-El (8801) • Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church (8830) • Central Woodward Christian Church (9000) • Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament (9844) • Highland Park Presbyterian Church • Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (12375) • Trinity United Methodist Church (13100) • First United Methodist Church (16300) City St. Aloysius • Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church • Fort Street Presbyterian Church • St. Mary's Catholic Church • Most Holy Redeemer Church • St. Joseph Catholic Church • St. Peter and St. Paul Jesuit Church Suburbs Christ Church Cranbrook • Christ Church Chapel Complex, Grosse Pointe • St. Florian Church, Hamtramck • Grosse Pointe Memorial Church • St. John Armenian Church, Southfield, Michigan • Kirk in the Hills • Chapel of the Felician Sisters, Livonia • St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church, Grosse Pointe • Word of Faith (Duns Scotus College), Southfield :See also: Architecture of metropolitan Detroit

v • d • e U.S. National Register of Historic Places Keeper of the Register · History of the National Register of Historic Places · Property types · Historic district · Contributing property List of entries National Park Service · National Historic Landmarks · National Battlefields · National Historic Sites · National Historical Parks · National Memorials · National Monuments