St. Matthew's Cathedral (Laramie, Wyoming) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Matthew's Cathedral Close
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Location | 104 S. 4th St. Laramie, Wyoming |
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| Built | 1892-1896 |
| Architect | William Halsey Wood |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003622 |
| Added to NRHP | April 12, 1984 |
St. Matthew's Cathedral is a special church building in Laramie, Wyoming. It's an Episcopal cathedral, which means it's the main church for the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. Think of it as the "headquarters" church for the Episcopal faith in the whole state! This beautiful building is also part of a historic area called the St. Matthew's Cathedral Close. This area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because it's important to history.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of St. Matthew's Cathedral
St. Matthew's Church first started in 1868. Later, a bishop named Ethelbert Talbot chose Laramie as the main city for his church area. He led the effort to build the big St. Matthew's Cathedral.
Building the Cathedral
Construction of the cathedral happened between 1892 and 1896. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was placed on September 21, 1892. The church was officially opened on December 17, 1896. It was fully dedicated on August 11, 1901.
Becoming a Diocese
In 1967, the Episcopal Church created the Diocese of Wyoming. This new church area covers the entire state of Wyoming. The first big meeting for this new diocese was held at St. Matthew's on January 30, 1968.
A Historic Place
The cathedral is part of the St. Matthew's Cathedral Close historic district. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Other important buildings in this historic area include the Deanery, Hunter Hall, and a memorial cross from the First World War.
Architecture: How St. Matthew's Cathedral Was Built
New York City architect William Halsey Wood designed St. Matthew's Cathedral. He used the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like the grand churches built in Europe many centuries ago.
Building Materials and Shape
The church is built from local sandstone. This stone was dug up from a quarry about nine miles northeast of Laramie. The building has a cross shape, which is called "cruciform."
Tower and Height
The bell tower and its tall, pointed top, called a spire, are above the main entrance. The cross at the very top of the spire is 118 feet (36 meters) above the ground. It is also 7,276 feet (2,218 meters) above sea level. This makes St. Matthew's the highest cathedral in the United States!
Bells and Clock
Inside the tower are 11 bells. They were made by a company called Meneely & Co. in New York. The clock on the tower was made by the E. Howard Clock Co. from Boston.
Stained-Glass Windows
Many different artists created the beautiful stained-glass windows in the cathedral. Some of these artists were Heaton, Butler and Bayne from London and New York City, and Charles Connick from Boston. Rowan and Irene LeCompte from New York and Washington, D.C., also made windows.
The Cathedral Organ
The church has a large pipe organ. It was put in by the E.M. Skinner Organ Co. in 1925. This organ has four keyboards, called manuals. It also has 51 "ranks" (sets of pipes) and a total of 3,111 pipes! In 1998, the organ's control panel, called the console, was replaced with one from 1928.
See also
