St. John's Episcopal Church
About this property
St. John's Episcopal Church is a historic church at 206 W. Maple Street in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It was built in 1882 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. St. John’s Episcopal Church is a member of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes and the Episcopal Church (United States). Originally begun as a mission in 1876, the church was built in 1882. It is the oldest existing Mount Pleasant church building that is still used for worship today. Known locally as “the church with the red doors,” St. John’s was initially established as a mission church in 1876 by circuit riders. The church’s cornerstone was laid in 1882. All the building materials for the church were donated by local businessman William N. Brown, with the bricks made at his own yard, lumber from his sawmill, and the excavation and finishing work completed by his employees. St. John’s is the oldest surviving active place of worship in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The Rt. Rev. George De Normandie Gillespie, first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan, consecrated the church on January 10, 1884. In 1996, the church building underwent extensive restoration and renovations, much of which was completed by parishioners. St. John's Episcopal Church is a single story, white-painted brick building with a steep gable roof, measuring 92 feet by 32 feet. The shed-roofed front entryway projects from the facade of the church, and is reached via a staircase. The interior is reached through a pair of entry doors with sharp upper points. The two sides of the church contain English Gothic recessed stained glass windows spaced at regular intervals. The church interior was modeled on the Riding House at Bolsover Castle in Bolsover, England. The floor is wood and tongue-in-groove wainscoting lines the walls. The vaulted ceiling has heavy wood beams. All liturgical appointments, including the pulpit, lectern, altar, and altar rail, are made of maple. St. John’s was registered with the State of Michigan's Historical Marker Program and received a historical marker in 1972. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The Women’s Guild at St. John’s, originally called the Ladies’ Guild, existed from 1886 to 1974. The Women’s Guild was largely responsible for keeping the church going during rough times and paying the bills. The Rev. John H. Rippey, M.D., served as acting rector of several churches on a circuit, including St. John’s, from 1887 through 1910. His work at the church, and the lives of parishioners are documented in a journal and parish registry book, 1887-1911, and three scrapbooks, 1874-1935, and undated, as well as in two handwritten services from July 1908.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was St. John's Episcopal Church listed on the National Register?
St. John's Episcopal Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 21, 1982.
What type of historic resource is St. John's Episcopal Church?
St. John's Episcopal Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for St. John's Episcopal Church?
The period of significance for St. John's Episcopal Church is recorded as the industrial era.
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Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near St. John's Episcopal Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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