Grace Episcopal Church (Georgetown, Colorado)

Infobox nrhp
name =Grace Episcopal Church
nrhp_type =


caption = Grace Episcopal Church, built 1870, now overlooks I-70 in Georgetown
location =408 Taos Street Georgetown, CO 80444-0133
nearest_city =
lat_degrees = 39
lat_minutes = 42
lat_seconds = 17
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 105
long_minutes = 41
long_seconds = 49
long_direction = W
area =
built =1870
architect = D.H. Joy
architecture = Carpenter Gothic
added = 1973-08-14
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 73000465
mpsub =
governing_body = Grace Episcopal Church is an historic Carpenter Gothic church in Georgetown, Colorado. Built in 1870, it now overlooks Interstate 70. Grace Episcopal is still an active church in the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. On August 14, 1973, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

History

The first Episcopal congregation in Georgetown was organized by 1867, eight years after Georgetown was founded. Its members included transplants to Georgetown from England, Cornwall, Wales, and the Eastern United States. The Church building was designed by local resident D. H. Joy, and construction began on the structure in 1869. A strong wind blew the half-completed structure down in November of that year, delaying construction until 1870. The building was finally consecrated in 1872.

The interior of the church reflects the wealth of Georgetown in the 1870's. The original pews, which are still in use today, are made of walnut. The pipe organ, constructed by C. Anderson in Denver, was purchased in 1877. Still in use, it is the oldest operational organ in the state. In 1882, a three-panel reredos was painted by Mrs. Anderson P. Stephens of Lawson, Colorado. The reredos still stands above the altar.

The church continued to draw a small congregation after the 1894 silver crash. At times it has shared priests with the Episcopal churches in Central City and Idaho Springs. Services are still held in the church every Sunday.

Historic preservation

Interest in preserving the church has been bolstered by the availability of funds which are taken by the State from gambling revenues in Central City and Black Hawk, for use in the preservation of historic buildings. The church received a State Historical Fund for exterior preservation in 2002. [cite web |url=http://www.historicgeorgetown.org/news/win02/grants.htm |title=Historic preservation gambling funds create jobs and preserve history throughout Colorado |accessdate=2007-02-21 |last=Neely |first=Ronald J. |year=2002 |month=Winter |work=The Silver Queen Preservation News |publisher=Historic Georgetown, Inc.]

In 2006, the church received a Stephen H. Hart Award from the Colorado Historical Society for their outstanding work in restoring the neighboring Snetzer Building. [cite web |url=http://www.historicgeorgetown.org/news/win06/gracehartaward.htm |title=Grace Episcopal Church receives prestigious Stephen Hart Award |accessdate=2007-02-21 |last=Skeen |first=Cynthia |year=2006 |month=Winter |work=The Silver Queen Preservation News |publisher=Historic Georgetown, Inc.]

ee also

* Grace Episcopal Church

References

External links

* [http://graceepiscchurch.tripod.com/ Grace Episcopal Church]
* [https://www.theredbook.org/index.cfm?event=church.view&ID=1000937 Grace Episcopal Church listing in The Episcopal Church Annual]