Grace Episcopal Cathedral (Topeka, Kansas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grace Cathedral |
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 Location in Kansas
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| 39°03′3.05″N 95°41′3.3″W / 39.0508472°N 95.684250°W | |
| Location | 701 SW 8th Ave. Topeka, Kansas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church in the United States of America |
| History | |
| Founded | 1857 (as Grace Church) |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Root & Siemens |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1910 |
| Completed | 1917 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1000 |
| Length | 160 |
| Width | 100 |
| Height | 62 |
| Other dimensions | Towers 92 feet Limestone High Altar 17 feet |
| Spire height | 33 feet |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Bells | Deagan Tower Chimes |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Kansas |
Grace Episcopal Cathedral is a beautiful church located in Topeka, Kansas, in the United States. It is the main church for the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, which means it's like the headquarters for the Episcopal churches in that area.
Contents
History of Grace Cathedral
Grace Cathedral began as a small mission. It was started by a reverend named Charles M. Callaway. The very first church service happened on January 20, 1857. It took place in a building called Constitution Hall. This building was also used as a general store.
Two years later, the services moved to a different spot called the Ritchie Block. In 1860, the group officially became "Grace Church." Around the same time, a school for young women, Bethany Place, opened and was connected to the church.
Building the Cathedral
A new church building was finished in 1865. It had a special altar made from local walnut wood. This altar has been used ever since. In 1879, Grace Church was chosen to be the main cathedral for the Diocese of Kansas.
Land was set aside in 1886 to build a new, bigger cathedral. However, money problems caused delays. The foundation for the current cathedral was finally laid in 1910. The walls were completed by 1912.
Bishop Frank Rosebrook Millspaugh and Dean J. P. DeBevers Kaye helped raise the last funds. The main part of the building was finished in 1917, but the towers were not yet built. The towers and other parts of the cathedral complex were finished later. This happened under the leadership of Dean John Warren Day (1927-1957) and Dean Leslie Skerry Olsen (1957-1984).
Fire and Restoration
On November 26, 1975, the cathedral was badly damaged by a fire. Services were held in the Great Hall during this time. The old walnut altar was saved and used there. The cathedral was fully reopened on October 1, 1978, after repairs.
In recent years, the building has had many updates and maintenance work. A renovation of the Cloister building was completed in late 2014. It now has a two-story main entrance common room. There are also plans to build a new parish hall.
Cathedral Architecture
The architects who designed Grace Cathedral were Root & Siemens from Kansas City. The church is shaped like a cross, which is called a cruciform structure. It was built in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like old European cathedrals.
Exterior Features
The outside of the cathedral has two tall towers. They stand on either side of the main front entrance. These towers were designed to look like those at Magdalen College in Oxford, England. A history book from 1921 mentions that the towers also look similar to the Church of St. Corentin in France.
The building is covered in Kansas Silverdale limestone. This stone was taken from a quarry in St. Mary's, Kansas. A very large, 3000-pound block of this same stone was used to create the main altar. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is made of sandstone. This sandstone came from an old church in England. A beautiful copper fleche (a small spire) is located where the main parts of the church cross.
Inside the Cathedral
The inside of the cathedral has a ceiling made of oak wood. This ceiling is supported by strong beams and columns. These columns have stone carvings at the top. The church is lit by colorful stained glass windows. These windows were made by American companies, Judson Studios and Willet Hauser Studio.
The church also has a large organ. It was built in 1978 by the Schantz Organ Company. This organ has 4 keyboards, 53 stops, 65 ranks, and 3820 pipes! Later, the Schantz and Reuter Organ Company added more parts to it.
Photos
See also
