Churches

All Saints' Episcopal Cathedral, Milwaukee Wisconsin

Date added:November 01, 2009

All Saints' is one of the nation's earliest Episcopal cathedrals. Gothic Revival in style, it is one of Milwaukee's older surviving churches and an important early work of the architect, Edward Townsend Mix. Noteworthy features of the interior are the stained glass windows, dating largely from the nineteenth century and forming, through the consistency of their compositions and color schemes--dominated by deep, rich hues--an exceptionally harmonious ensemble.

The edifice was built as Olivet Congregational Church, and, according to a contemporary newspaper account, it was acquired by the Milwaukee Episcopal diocese June 1, 1872 for $35,000. Contracts for the construction of Olivet Church were signed on July 16, 1868, and the cornerstone laid on August 27 of that year. Dedication services were held in November of the following year. The Milwaukee Sentinel for November 26, 1869, reports that the church, lots, and organ cost, in all, some $66,000.

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Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee Wisconsin

Date added:November 03, 2009

This grand, imposing, richly ornamented Neo-Renaissance edifice is a major landmark of Milwaukee's south side, the only Roman Catholic basilica in Wisconsin, and one of the nation's most important Polish-American churches.

Many of the materials used in the construction of St. Josaphat's originally constituted Chicago's Federal Building. The transformation from public building to church came about as follows. By the mid-1890s Father William Grutza and his parishioners at St. Josaphat's agreed that the parish needed a new church and retained Erhard Brielmaier to draw the plans. While his work was in progress. Father Grutza travelled to Chicago, where he learned that the aging Federal Building was soon to be razed and the materials offered for sale. Aware that the parish could realize a considerable savings if salvaged materials were used, he asked Brielmaier if he would modify his plans accordingly (the architect's original scheme called for a brick building trimmed with terra cotta). Brielmaier complied, and for $20,000 Father Grutza purchased stone for the walls, polished granite columns for the front portico, doors, hardware, bronze railings, and light fixtures and had them transported to Milwaukee on five hundred railway flatcars. Inspected, measured, sorted, and numbered, all these materials eventually found places in the new building.

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Calvary Episcopal Church, Homer New York

Date added:February 14, 2010

This church is the oldest public structure in the Village of Homer still in use.

The church membership does not hold title to the land on which the church stands. This land, the Village Green, is owned by the First Religious Society of Homer, Inc. which granted the Episcopal Society permission to erect their church upon it. Born in Homer, Andrew D. White, co-founder and first president of Cornell University, was baptised in this church June 7, 1835. During its existence, the Calvary Church has been in three dioceses: first, the Diocese of New York, then the Diocese of Western New York (formed 1838), and in 1868, the Diocese of Central New York, thus reflecting the settlement across the State. On the I8th of March, 1833, it was resolved by the Vestry of Calvary Church to establish a library to be known as "The Parish Library of Calvary Church". It was stated in the by-laws that any person could for the sum of one dollar become the Proprietor of one share in the Library and therefore entitled to the right of drawing books subject to the Library regulations. These regulations are outlined in the Eleven By-Laws adopted by the Vestry.

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