St. John's Episcopal Church
About this property
St. John's Episcopal Church is an antebellum-era church located at 2326 Woodward Avenue (at the corner of Woodward and the Fisher Freeway service drive) in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is the oldest church still standing on Woodward Avenue, an area once called Piety Hill for its large number of religious buildings. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1987. The parish of St. John's was organized in Detroit in 1858, primarily due to the efforts of Henry Porter Baldwin, a successful merchant who later became governor of Michigan and a United States senator. Porter purchased and donated the property, which was then on the northern outskirts of Detroit's city limits at the corner of Woodward and High Street (now Interstate 75). He also donated the money to build a rectory and a 150-seat chapel, designed by Jordan & Anderson. When the chapel was dedicated in 1859, it proved too small for the burgeoning congregation. A new church was commissioned from Jordan & Anderson and quickly constructed; it was consecrated on December 10, 1861. Today the church congregation is unusual among those of the modern Episcopal Church, as it uses the traditional 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. Some weekday services use the Anglican Missal, rather than the newer 1979 edition Book of Common Prayer. St. John's is an example of Victorian Gothic Revival 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; originally there were no intermediary piers to support the roof, giving the church an auditorium feel. There are six memorial stained glass windows on either side of the nave. These were installed between 1880 and 1954. The upper portions of the windows, above the stained glass, are still the original grisaille and colored glass. The great west window was dedicated in 1963. The altar, installed in 1873, is constructed of white Caen stone; 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.
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about St. John's Episcopal Church
This page lists St. John's Episcopal Church. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
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 August 2, 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.
Can I research the history near St. John's Episcopal Church?
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.
More in Wayne County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Wayne County.
Explore WayneCounty ›More historic places in Michigan
Browse all historic places in Michigan.
View Michiganhistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near St. John's Episcopal Church will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.