Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral (Kansas City, Missouri) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral |
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 Location in Missouri
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| 39°05′53.4″N 94°35′21.58″W / 39.098167°N 94.5893278°W | |
| Location | 415 W. 13th St. Kansas City, Missouri |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1898 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Frederick Elmer Hill |
| Style | Transitional Norman Gothic |
| Completed | 1895 |
| Construction cost | $100,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 600–800 persons |
| Length | 138 feet (42 m) |
| Width | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Height | 75 feet (23 m) |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | West Missouri |
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral is a beautiful Episcopal cathedral located in the Quality Hill area of Kansas City, Missouri. It serves as the main church for the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Early Beginnings and New Names
The church we know today started on July 20, 1870. It was first called "Saint Paul's Church." A few years later, in 1873, it was renamed "Grace Church."
In 1874, Grace Church built its first worship building. It was made of wood and located at Tenth and Central Streets. The current stone church building, which is much grander, was built later.
Building the Stone Church
The main part of the current church, called the Nave, was designed by Frederick Elmer Hill. Construction on the Nave began in June 1893.
Before the Nave, another stone building called Guild Hall was built from 1888 to 1890. It was designed by brothers Adriance and John Van Brunt. Today, Guild Hall holds the Cathedral's offices, library, and gift shop.
The design of the Nave was greatly influenced by Dr. Cameron Mann, who was the church's leader at the time. He had just returned from a trip to England, where he studied many famous cathedrals.
Architectural Style and Features
The church building has a special style called "transitional Norman Gothic." This means it mixes two older styles. Its windows and door frames are rounded, like in the Norman English style. However, the main arch inside is pointed, which is a feature of Gothic buildings.
The foundations for the Nave were laid in 1888. The inside of the Nave was finished in December 1894, and the first service was held there. The entire building was officially dedicated on May 15, 1898.
The Nave is quite large:
- It is 138 feet long.
- It is 60 feet wide.
- The highest point of the roof inside is 75 feet above the floor.
The floor is made of oak wood in a special pattern. The church has five aisles running east to west and one cross aisle. The wooden pews (church benches) are the original ones from when the church was built. While it used to seat about 700 people, changes have made the seating capacity around 600. With extra chairs, it can hold almost 800 people.
Unfinished Plans and Beautiful Windows
The inside of the Nave was never fully completed as the designers had planned. They wanted marble and oak on the walls, and fancy carvings around the doors and windows. They also planned a beautiful marble floor in the chancel (the area around the altar). These plans were never finished because there wasn't enough money.
However, the church is famous for its amazing stained glass windows. Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral is like a living museum of stained glass in the United States. It has many unique windows, including:
- A 1901 window by Otto Heinigke and Owen J. Bowen, the only one of their works west of the Mississippi River.
- A 1903 window by Frederick Stymetz Lamb.
- A huge 1911 window from Duffner and Kimberly.
- A 1912 window designed by American artist Mary Fraser Wesselhoeft and made in Berlin.
- A 1926 Madonna window from the Jacoby Art Glass Company.
- A 1930 window from Tiffany Studios that creates a "kaleidoscope of colors" at sunset.
- Seven windows showing the "Life of Christ" by English artist James Humphries Hogan.
- Three windows by Boston artist Dr. Charles Jay Connick, installed between 1943 and 1945.
Becoming a Cathedral
In November 1917, Grace Church joined with another church called Trinity Church. The new combined church was named "Grace and Holy Trinity Church."
Later, in 1930, the church's leader, Robert Nelson Horatio Spencer, became the Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri. He worked to make his former church the main Cathedral for the Diocese. On October 29, 1935, Grace and Holy Trinity Church officially became the Cathedral of the Diocese of West Missouri.
Completing the Tower
Just like the inside of the Nave, the church's Tower was also not finished for many years. It was only two stories tall until 1936. Henry DeLancy Ashley started a campaign to finish the Tower, even donating $100 himself.
The Tower was finally completed in May 1938, following a new design by William Drewin Wight. Sadly, Mr. Ashley passed away before he could see the finished Tower. He was a very dedicated member of the church for 51 years and helped make sure the building was completed after more than 40 years.
New Buildings and Renovations
Over the years, the Cathedral acquired more land around it. In 1978, a Diocesan Center was built. This building was finished in 1980.
In 1981, a large organ built by Gabriel Kney was installed in the Nave. This organ was later updated in 2004 and 2013 to improve its sound and stability.
In 1986, some of the outer stones on the north wall of the Nave collapsed. It turned out that the original mortar (the material holding the stones together) was not very strong. This led to a big repair project to make sure the walls were stable. The church was closed for 20 months for these repairs. Services returned to the renovated Nave on September 13, 1987.
In 1997, construction began on Founders' Hall. This building was a dream of Dean Emeritus J. Earl Cavanaugh and William Thornton Kemper, Jr. It was completed in April 1999. Founders' Hall has a large meeting room, a kitchen, and storage. In 2020, a large mural was added to the East Wall, thanks to the Kemper family.
Associated Clergy
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral has been led by many dedicated people over the years. Before 1890, it was part of the Diocese of Missouri. After 1890, it became part of the Diocese of West Missouri.
Here are some of the key leaders of the church throughout its history:
- Rectors of Grace Church (1870–1911):
* The Rev. Franklin Reeve Haff (1870–1871) * The Rev. Algernon Batte (1872–1874) * The Rev. Joseph E. Martin (1874–1876) * The Rev. Herman Cope Duncan (1876–1880) * The Rev. Cameron Mann (1881–1901) * The Rev. Theodore Bogert Foster (1902–1906) * The Rev. Julius Augustus Schaad (1906–1911)
- Curates/Vicars of Grace Church (1912–1917):
* The Rev. Henry R. Remsen (1912–1913) * The Rev. Benjamin Franklin Root (1914–1916) * The Rev. Fuller Swift (1916–1917)
- Rectors of Trinity Church (1883–1917):
* The Reverend Robert E. Talbot (1883–1908) * The Reverend Robert Nelson Horatio Spencer (1909–1917)
- Rectors of Grace and Holy Trinity Church (1917–1935):
* The Rev. Robert Nelson Horatio Spencer (1917–1930) * The Rev. Claude Willard Sprouse (1931–1935)
- Deans of Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral (1935–present):
* The Very Rev. Claude Willard Sprouse (1935–1952) * The Very Rev. Clarence Haden Jr. (1953–1957) * The Very Rev. Donald Robertson Woodward (1958–1968) * The Very Rev. Eugene Glenn Malcolm (1968–1975) * The Very Rev. J. Earl Cavanaugh (1976–1995) * The Very Rev. Dennis J. J. Schmidt (1996–2002) * The Very Rev. Terry Allen White (2004–2010) * The Very Rev. Peter Jay DeVeau (2011–2018) * The Very Rev. Dr. Andrew Carl Keyse (2019–present)
Images for kids
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The winning design for Guild Hall by A. Van Brunt and Company.
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An entry submitted by Burling and Whitehouse for the church design competition.
See also
