In 1887, construction of a church was begun on land donated to the Titusville Episcopal mission by Mary Titus, wife of the town's founder, and J. Dunlin Perkinson, lay reader of the mission. The name of the church was changed from St. John's to St. Gabriels's with the gift in 1888 of a stained glass window depicting St. Gabriel. The neo-Gothic style reflects a trend in Episcopal Church architecture in central Florida during the late 1800's. This style was spread through the efforts of Edwin G. Weed, third bishop of Florida. The church, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, contains a fine collection of Victorian stained glass.
An outstanding example of the neo-Gothic architectural style, St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church was built in 1887, on land donated by J. Dunlin Parkinson, a lay reader for the mission, and by Mary E. Titus, the wife of Colonel Henry Titus, who is credited with founding Titusville. The board and batten wood frame building was dedicated on May 31, 1888, as St. John's Church. Later that year, when the congregation learned that memorial windows were being donated, one of which was to picture St. Gabriel, the name was changed to St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church.
All the stained glass windows in the church, with the exception of St. Luke, were made in England and finished in New York at either Lamb and Tiffany's or Gorham's, Fifth Avenue. The windows are considered to be one of the finest collections of Victorian stained glass on the East Coast.
The building was remodeled and extended in 1960 to its present configuration. Originally seated for one hundred, the enlarged church building now seats more than two hundred.
St. Gabriel's was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 1973.
The bell in the bell tower was donated by the ladies in the church in 1892, and is said to be the largest bell in Brevard County.
In 1992, the congregation, with the assistance of a state grant and community support, generously donated money for a major restoration project to replace support beams , to reroof and repaint the church.
More information on St. Gabriel's can be found here:
An outstanding example of the neo-Gothic architectural style, St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church was built in 1887, on land donated by J. Dunlin Parkinson, a lay reader for the mission, and by Mary E. Titus, the wife of Colonel Henry Titus, who is credited with founding Titusville. The board and batten wood frame building was dedicated on May 31, 1888, as St. John's Church. Later that year, when the congregation learned that memorial windows were being donated, one of which was to picture St. Gabriel, the name was changed to St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church.
All the stained glass windows in the church, with the exception of St. Luke, were made in England and finished in New York at either Lamb and Tiffany's or Gorham's, Fifth Avenue. The windows are considered to be one of the finest collections of Victorian stained glass on the East Coast.
The building was remodeled and extended in 1960 to its present configuration. Originally seated for one hundred, the enlarged church building now seats more than two hundred.
St. Gabriel's was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 1973.
The bell in the bell tower was donated by the ladies in the church in 1892, and is said to be the largest bell in Brevard County.
In 1992, the congregation, with the assistance of a state grant and community support, generously donated money for a major restoration project to replace support beams , to reroof and repaint the church.
More information on St. Gabriel's can be found here:
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