St. John's Episcopal Church (Montgomery, Alabama) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. John's Episcopal Church
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St. John's Episcopal Church in 2009.
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 Location in Montgomery, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | 113 Madison Ave., Montgomery, Alabama |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1854-55 |
| Architect | Frank Wills; Henry Dudley |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000326 |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 1975 |
St. John's Episcopal Church is a very old and beautiful church in Montgomery, Alabama. It was built in a style called Gothic Revival. Famous architects named Frank Wills and Henry Dudley designed it. This church is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
A Look at History
The church community of St. John's started in 1834. By 1837, they had a simple brick church building. After about ten years, the church needed to grow. This was because Montgomery became the state capital. Also, more people moved to the area as cotton farming grew. The church building you see today was finished in 1855. It was built on the same block as the old one, but it faces Madison Street.
St. John's Episcopal Church was part of several big events. These happened around the time of the American Civil War. In 1861, the church hosted a meeting for Southern churches. This meeting helped push the Southern states to leave the United States. Jefferson Davis, who was the President of the Confederate States of America, attended this church. This was when Montgomery was the capital of the Confederacy. In 1865, the church had to close its doors. This was ordered by the Union Army. It reopened for services in 1866.
The first church building from the 1830s was taken down in 1869. Its bricks were used to add to the main church building. The church was made even bigger in 1906. During World War I, many Army recruits came to the church. They were from a nearby tent camp called "Camp Sheridan." But in 1918, the Spanish flu pandemic caused the church to close for a while.
Helping Children and Education
From 1898 to 1901, Edgar Gardner Murphy was the leader of St. John's Church. He played a big role in creating groups that worked to set rules for child labor. These groups wanted to limit how many hours children could work in factories. In 1901, he left St. John's. He then led the Southern Education Board. This group worked to make education better in the South. They especially focused on public schools.
A Plaque and Pew Are Moved
In May 1925, a bronze plaque was put up to honor President Jefferson Davis. A speaker named John Trotwood Moore gave a speech at the event. In 2019, the church leaders decided to move the plaque. They also moved a pew that was dedicated to Davis in 1931. They moved them from the main church area to the church's historical records. This decision was made after they learned more about the history behind these items.
The church building was updated in the 1950s. It was also renovated again in 2006.
See Also
