St. John's Episcopal Church (Cleveland, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
St. John's Episcopal Church is located at 2600 Church Street in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio
. St. John's is the oldest consecrated building in Cuyahoga county. This stone gothic revival church building was designed by Hezekiah Eldredge and built beginning in 1836 and was completed 1838.http://ech.case.edu/timeline.html Eldridge was probably familiar with John Henry Hopkins
' "An Essay on Gothic Architecture", the first book on Gothic ecclesiastical architecture to be published in the United States. St. John's is a good representative of a small group of American churches inspired by Hopkins' book.
On November 9, 1816, a group of Episcopalians met in the log home of Phineas Shepard on the Cleveland's west side at what is now West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue, to organize what was to become Trinity Parish. The parish
is the site of the original Episcopal congregation in Cleveland. In 1825, east side members moved the original parish, named Trinity
from Ohio City, to a site near Public Square
. West side members remained in Ohio City, naming the new parish St. John's.
Trinity Cathedral is now the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio
.http://www.trinitycleveland.org/about/history.html St. John's was also the mother church to several of the west side parishes.
In 1837, the Ohio City Directory described the church as follows, "The Episcopal Church, which is not yet finished, is built of hammered stone, and has a lofty steeple. Its style of architecture is Gothic, resembling that of the ancient and venerable Cathedral
. This building, when finished, will be one of the best of the kind in the western country, and may be considered as an ornament to the young city".http://academic.csuohio.edu/clevelandhistory/olha/documents/OHIOCITYc.htm
This "Gothicized meeting house" has been rebuilt twice, once after a fire in the 1880s and once after a tornado
in 1953. The present plan, with neither a central aisle
nor an apse
, is therefore similar to the original plan. At one time the church was more elaborate than it is today, the church pinnacles no longer exist. St, John's was known as "Station Hope" on the Underground Railroad
.
The original bell (1846) now is housed in the west side of the narthex
, due to weakening of the steeple
. Next to the church stands the frame gothic revival Parish Hall is circa (1875).
An Episcopal parish continued to worship in this space through December, 2007; although currently closed, the building remains property of the Diocese.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. St. John's is the oldest consecrated building in Cuyahoga county. This stone gothic revival church building was designed by Hezekiah Eldredge and built beginning in 1836 and was completed 1838.http://ech.case.edu/timeline.html Eldridge was probably familiar with John Henry Hopkins
John Henry Hopkins
John Henry Hopkins was the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont and was the eighth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.-Early life and career:...
' "An Essay on Gothic Architecture", the first book on Gothic ecclesiastical architecture to be published in the United States. St. John's is a good representative of a small group of American churches inspired by Hopkins' book.
On November 9, 1816, a group of Episcopalians met in the log home of Phineas Shepard on the Cleveland's west side at what is now West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue, to organize what was to become Trinity Parish. The parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
is the site of the original Episcopal congregation in Cleveland. In 1825, east side members moved the original parish, named Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
from Ohio City, to a site near Public Square
Public Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
. West side members remained in Ohio City, naming the new parish St. John's.
Trinity Cathedral is now the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio
Episcopal Diocese of Ohio
The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America in the northern half of the state of Ohio.The see city is Cleveland, home of Trinity Cathedral, the cathedral of the diocese. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr...
.http://www.trinitycleveland.org/about/history.html St. John's was also the mother church to several of the west side parishes.
In 1837, the Ohio City Directory described the church as follows, "The Episcopal Church, which is not yet finished, is built of hammered stone, and has a lofty steeple. Its style of architecture is Gothic, resembling that of the ancient and venerable Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. This building, when finished, will be one of the best of the kind in the western country, and may be considered as an ornament to the young city".http://academic.csuohio.edu/clevelandhistory/olha/documents/OHIOCITYc.htm
This "Gothicized meeting house" has been rebuilt twice, once after a fire in the 1880s and once after a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
in 1953. The present plan, with neither a central aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
nor an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
, is therefore similar to the original plan. At one time the church was more elaborate than it is today, the church pinnacles no longer exist. St, John's was known as "Station Hope" on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
The original bell (1846) now is housed in the west side of the narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
, due to weakening of the steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
. Next to the church stands the frame gothic revival Parish Hall is circa (1875).
An Episcopal parish continued to worship in this space through December, 2007; although currently closed, the building remains property of the Diocese.
Noted members
- William B. CastleWilliam B. CastleWilliam Bainbridge Castle was an American politician of the Whig Party who served as the 11th and final mayor of Ohio City from 1853 to 1854 and the 14th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1855 and 1856....
(Cleveland Mayor) was a long time member of the VestryVestryA vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
and Senior WardenChurchwardenA churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
of this church. There is a large historic marker in his honor, on the eastern wall of the church.
- Mark HannaMark HannaMarcus Alonzo "Mark" Hanna was a United States Senator from Ohio and the friend and political manager of President William McKinley...
was an industrialist and Republican politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Cleveland.
- Phineas Shepard early settler and Pensioner Revolutionary War http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/colonial/census/1840/1840oh_qt.html
- Hezekiah Eldredge builder, charter member and was a member of the Vestry.