Marble Community Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Paul's Church
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The church in 2011
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Location | Marble, Colorado |
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| Built | 1908 |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| MPS | Historic Resources of Marble, Colorado and Vicinity |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000990 |
| Added to NRHP | August 3, 1989 |
The Marble Community Church, once known as St. Paul's Church, is a special old church building. You can find it at 123 State Street in Marble, Colorado. This church's main part was first built in Aspen, Colorado in 1886. It was called St. John's Episcopal Chapel back then. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it's an important historical site.
History of the Church
Building the Church
At the start of the 1900s, the town of Marble had many kids who went to sunday school. But there was no church building for them to meet in. In 1908, a small church in Aspen was no longer needed. This church, called St. John's Episcopal Chapel, was built in 1886. The church leaders decided to move it to Marble.
Workers carefully took the chapel apart. They moved it by train car to Marble. Then, they put it back together at 123 State Street. The land for the church was bought with money from a group called the Episcopal Women's Guild. The new church was named St. Paul's. Soon after, two side rooms were added to make the church bigger. In 1911, a bell tower was added. It held a large 500-pound bell.
The Church Reopens
St. Paul's Church was a busy place for religious and social events. It served three different church groups. It was also a meeting spot for other community groups. However, when World War II was about to start, the local marble quarries closed. The town's population got smaller. Because of this, the church had to close in 1941.
The building stayed empty for over ten years. In the early 1950s, people were allowed to use the old building again. They started holding prayer meetings and services. More and more people became interested. Soon, a new church group formed. They decided to call themselves the Marble Community Church.
In 1974, the church group was allowed to move back into the old building. In return, they promised to take care of the building. In 1983, the Marble Community Church became an official organization in Colorado. On July 7, 1985, the church group officially received the deed to the building and land. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. It is now known as a Historic Place in Gunnison County, Colorado.
The church is a great example of an early religious building in a mining town. It is also the only building in Marble that shows Gothic architecture. In 2002, work began to update the old church building. They also added a new fellowship hall. This project was finished in 2004. A breezeway was also added to connect the two buildings. The church celebrated its 100th birthday in 2008.
See also
