St. James Episcopal Church (Oskaloosa, Iowa)
Encyclopedia
St. James Episcopal Church is a parish of the Diocese of Iowa
. The church is located in Oskaloosa, Iowa
, United States
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The church building was moved to the back of the property in 1896 in preparation for the construction of the present church in 1900. Frank E. Wetherell, a parishioner, designed the Gothic Revival building. It was built of brick
with a corner bell tower by Henry Wetherell for $20,000. The new church was consecrated on February 2, 1902. The congregation worshiped without an organ until 1920 when $2,500 was raised to purchase one.
The tower holds 10 bells that were given by Alice Williams Bennett in memory of her parents Micajah and Virginia Williams. The tower was severely damaged by lighting in 1927 and had to be rebuilt.
The church’s interior features an oak carved altar, lectern, pulpit, rood screen and altar rail. Stained glass windows line the east and west walls. The original frame church was renovated in the 1950s for classrooms, office space and a children's chapel. In 1985 a pipe organ
, which had been built for a church in Bloomer, Wisconsin
in 1930, was purchased a rebuilt in the church. It contains 1,126 pipes. A new oak altar was built in 1993 so the priest can face the congregation during the service. It was consecrated on March 29, 1994. The original church was remodeled again in 2001 to create a new fellowship hall. While it was air-conditioned at the time the rest of the church building was air-conditioned in 2004.
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
The Episcopal Diocese of Iowa is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America which covers all of Iowa. It is in Province VI. Its offices are in Des Moines, and it has two cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of St...
. The church is located in Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
The parish was begun on May 27, 1855 and it was incorporated in August 1857. A lot was bought for a church on South Market Street, the location of the present library, but it was exchanged for the corner lot at First Ave East and South Third Street. A Gothic Revival style church and a rectory were built on the property in 1869 for $12,000. It was a frame structure that measured 28 by 50 feet, and it was consecrated on November 20, 1870.The church building was moved to the back of the property in 1896 in preparation for the construction of the present church in 1900. Frank E. Wetherell, a parishioner, designed the Gothic Revival building. It was built of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
with a corner bell tower by Henry Wetherell for $20,000. The new church was consecrated on February 2, 1902. The congregation worshiped without an organ until 1920 when $2,500 was raised to purchase one.
The tower holds 10 bells that were given by Alice Williams Bennett in memory of her parents Micajah and Virginia Williams. The tower was severely damaged by lighting in 1927 and had to be rebuilt.
The church’s interior features an oak carved altar, lectern, pulpit, rood screen and altar rail. Stained glass windows line the east and west walls. The original frame church was renovated in the 1950s for classrooms, office space and a children's chapel. In 1985 a pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, which had been built for a church in Bloomer, Wisconsin
Bloomer, Wisconsin
Bloomer is a city in Chippewa County located within the Town of Woodmohr in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population of the city of Bloomer is 3,539, after the 2010 census. The city of Bloomer is located south of the Town of Bloomer, which is also in Chippewa County...
in 1930, was purchased a rebuilt in the church. It contains 1,126 pipes. A new oak altar was built in 1993 so the priest can face the congregation during the service. It was consecrated on March 29, 1994. The original church was remodeled again in 2001 to create a new fellowship hall. While it was air-conditioned at the time the rest of the church building was air-conditioned in 2004.