Church of Our Saviour (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church Of Our Savior
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Façade of the church
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | S. Main St., Mechanicsburg, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1893 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Mechanicsburg MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001878 |
| Added to NRHP | August 29, 1985 |
The Church of Our Saviour is an old and important church in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. It's an Episcopal church, which is a type of Christian church. Even though it was built in the 1890s, making it one of the newer churches in town, its beautiful Gothic Revival style building is considered a historic site. This means it's a special place worth protecting because of its history and design.
How the Church of Our Saviour Began
The first people settled in Goshen Township around 1805. The town of Mechanicsburg was officially started on August 6, 1814. In the very early days, there weren't many organized churches. The first churches were started by "circuit riders." These were preachers who traveled from place to place, holding small religious meetings in settlers' log cabins.
Mechanicsburg's first church was a Methodist group formed in 1814. By the 1880s, the village had five churches. These included Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal, and Methodist Protestant churches.
The first Episcopal church in Champaign County was the Church of the Epiphany in Urbana. It was created in 1847. This was almost fifty years before the Church of Our Saviour was formed in Mechanicsburg.
The Church of Our Saviour was officially started in 1892 by a group of five leaders. Its first church building was finished in 1893. However, it wasn't officially dedicated until 1894. The first priest was F.V. Baer. By the late 1890s, the church members bought more land. They planned to build a new rectory, which is a house for the priest.
Even though the church faced challenges like members moving away, it stayed active. Other churches in Mechanicsburg welcomed its presence. Within its first 25 years, the church started a busy Sunday school. They also created several groups for women members.
The Church's Beautiful Design
The Church of Our Saviour was built in 1893. It was dedicated in 1894 and rededicated in 1895. It is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style brings back the look of medieval cathedrals.
In its early years, people especially noticed its pipe organ, brass altar, and beautiful windows. In 1907, a local writer said that "both the exterior and interior are very attractive."
The church is made of brick and sits on a strong stone foundation. It also has parts made of wood and stone. This single-story church has a roof that rises to a central gable, which is the triangular part of the wall under the roof.
The windows that caught people's attention are made of stained glass. Most of them are ogive windows, which are pointed arch windows. The front of the church also has a beautiful rose window, which is a large, round stained-glass window.
A square brick tower with a wooden belfry (where bells are kept) stands at one corner of the building. This tower also has stained glass windows. Fancy wooden carvings decorate the belfry.
The Church of Our Saviour is not the only church in Mechanicsburg with this style. Three of the five historic church buildings in the village were built in the 1890s. Also, four of the five are brick buildings with stained-glass ogive windows.
A Historic Landmark
The Church of Our Saviour was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This is a list of places in the United States that are important for their history, architecture, or culture.
The church was part of a group of about twenty buildings listed at the same time. These buildings were spread out across the village. Because they weren't all close together, they couldn't be called a single "historic district."
Many of the other buildings listed were houses. But four were other historic churches in the village: the Mechanicsburg Baptist Church, St. Michael's Catholic Church, the Second Baptist Church, and the United Methodist Church. Like these other churches, the Church of Our Saviour was listed because of its important and beautiful architecture.
Today, the Church of Our Saviour is part of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It belongs to the Diocese of Southern Ohio. It is also part of a group called the "Northwest Deanery," which includes the Church of the Epiphany and four other churches. The Church of Our Saviour and the Church of the Epiphany even share a priest!
