St. John’s Episcopal Church

1. St. John’s Episcopal Church • By Raphael Tara and Ryan McCarthy

2. St. John’s Today • St. John’s is an Episcopal Church • It is located on the corner of Broad and Warren Streets • Mass is held by the Reverend Kathleen+ Galvin

3. History of the Church • The Church was first founded 14 years after the town’s settlement in 1852 • This is a picture of the original church. • The Original lot was fronted on either Cherry or fourth Streets a location slightly different from where it is located now.

4. History Continued… • This is what St. John’s looked like around 1897 • It is the same church from the last picture but it had been remodeled because of the growing parish • The church added on to the bell tower and added a parish house onto the church.

5. The Church Fire • In 1922 the church was set on fire apparently by the church furnace • The fire completely gutted much of the interior and the pipe organ was destroyed • The church although heavily damage was still in useable condition. • The daughter of a parishioner wrote, “My mother rushed in and gathered up all the altar furnishings in her voluminous skirt. She especially didn’t want the fireman to get into the sacramental wine.

6. The New Church • In 1966 the church voted to build a new building and construction started • The fire department had condemned the old building because it was unsafe. • The new church was officially opened on Aug. 12th 1967

7. The New Church

8. St. John’s as the Ethnic Focal Point • From 1866-1900 The settlement of Mankato brought many different immigrants and religions into the city • Of the first six communicants, only one was Episcopal, the others came from other religions • Although Many different churches were already established in Mankato, St. John’s served as the melting pot for everyone

9. Ethnic focal point Continued… • In the latter part of the 19th century St. John’s lacked German or Norwegian parishioners • The town was actually segregated with the Germans living north and west of main street in what was called “Dutchtown” and other ethnic groups below in “Uppertown”. • St. John’s remained in the middle of both and welcomed all people

10. St. John’s Today

11. Questions???