Old St. Peter's Episcopal Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old St. Peter's Episcopal Church |
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Old St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
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| Location | Harbor View Memorial Park (W. 24th St. & S. Grand Ave.), San Pedro, Los Angeles, California |
| Built | 1883 |
| Architectural style(s) | Carpenter Gothic—Victorian |
| Governing body | private |
| Designated | December 6, 1967 |
| Reference no. | 53 |
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Old St. Peter's Episcopal Church is a historic landmark in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles, California. Built in 1883, it is the oldest church in San Pedro. It was designed in a special style called Carpenter Gothic, which was popular during the Victorian era. This style used wood to create fancy, detailed buildings that looked like small, wooden castles or cathedrals.
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A Church Built by Shipbuilders
Local residents built St. Peter's in 1883. They used the same hand tools that they used to build ships for the nearby Port of Los Angeles. The first church service was held in April 1884.
The church was quite small, measuring only 21 feet wide by 60 feet long. Inside, it had 110 simple pews (benches for people to sit on) that were carved by hand. The walls were plain white. A special feature was the lectern, a stand for reading, which was held up by a wooden angel carved from redwood.
Much of the inside, including the wall panels and furniture, was made from redwood trees. This wood was brought down from Northern California on sailing ships. One newspaper article from 1968 said the church looked "like a dollhouse" but with the "rough-hewn charm of a 19th century ship."
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A Guiding Light for Ships
The church's first home was on a hill. At night, a lantern was lit in its steeple, which is the tall, pointed tower. Because of its high location, the lighted steeple acted as a beacon, helping guide ships safely into the harbor. For a while, the church was used for both Catholic and Protestant services.
In 1904, the entire building was moved to a new spot in San Pedro. During the move, the original steeple fell off. It was replaced with a belfry, a tower for holding a bell, which is still there today.
Saving a Historic Treasure
By 1953, more people were attending the church, and the small building could no longer fit everyone. A new, larger St. Peter's church was built nearby. The old church was left empty and was in danger of being torn down.
A group of people in the community wanted to save the historic building. They convinced the city to take care of the church if they could raise $5,000 to move it. They successfully raised the money, and in 1956, the church was moved to Harbor View Memorial Park. It was no longer used for regular services but was opened for special events like weddings and concerts.
A Final Move and Restoration
The church's journey wasn't over. It was later moved one last time to its current home at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
During this final move, the church was carefully restored. This included rebuilding its famous steeple, which had been lost during the move in 1904. Today, the beautiful little church stands fully restored, a reminder of San Pedro's early history.
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