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 a special historic church located in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, in the United States. It belongs to the Episcopal faith. Even though it was built later than some other churches in the village, its beautiful Gothic Revival style building is now recognized as an important historic site.
The Church's Story
The first people to settle in Goshen Township arrived around 1805. The village of Mechanicsburg itself was officially started on August 6, 1814. In the very early days, there weren't many organized churches. The first religious groups were started by traveling preachers from the Methodist Episcopal Church. These groups met in settlers' log cabins.
Mechanicsburg's first church was a Methodist one, formed in 1814. By the 1880s, the village had four more churches. These included Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal, and Methodist Protestant congregations.
The first Episcopal church in Champaign County was the Church of the Epiphany in Urbana. It was created in 1847. This was almost 50 years before an Episcopal church 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. It was officially dedicated in 1894.
The first priest for the church was F.V. Baer. By the end of the 1890s, the church members bought more land. They planned to build a new house for the priest there. 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 and groups for its female members.
Church Design and Style
The Church of Our Saviour was built in 1893. It was dedicated in 1894 and rededicated in 1895. It is a great example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style often looks like old European cathedrals.
When it was first built, people especially admired its pipe organ, its shiny brass altar, and its beautiful windows. A local writer in 1907 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. The building has one main story and a roof that rises to a central gable. The windows that impressed people long ago are made of stained glass. Most of them are ogive windows, which are pointed at the top. The front of the church also has a round rose window.
A square brick tower stands at one corner of the building. It has a wooden belfry (where bells are kept). More stained glass windows are in the tower. Fancy wooden carvings decorate the belfry. This church's design is not completely unique in Mechanicsburg. Three of the village's five historic church buildings 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 to history. The church was part of a group of about twenty buildings listed at the same time in the village. These buildings were spread out, so 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. These included 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 added to the Register because of its important and beautiful architecture.
Today, the Church of Our Saviour is still an active part of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It is part of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. It also belongs to 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 work closely together. They are called the "Northern Miami Valley Episcopal Cluster" and even share a priest.
