St. James Episcopal Church - Deer Lodge, MT
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 46° 24.006 W 112° 44.035
12T E 366710 N 5139963
This beautiful stone church has stood for 136 years as of 2014. It is now on its fifth life, having survived four fires in that time.
Waymark Code: WMN45H
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 12/23/2014
Views: 1
The first Episcopal services were held in Deer Lodge in 1868 with Bishop Daniel Tittle conducting services. The church did not have a resident priest until 1875, when Reverend Mahlon Norris Gilbert took over the little congregation. Still without a church, services were held at the town hall then later at the courthouse.
On December 2, 1877, after years of fundraising, the first services were held in St. James Episcopal, the same church that serves the congregation today. Built of locally quarried stone, it was built by the Reverend and the parishioners. At the time the little town of Deer Lodge had a population of about 500.
Inside the church are many stained glass windows, some of which appear to be original and some of which were installed later. Most are dedicated to past parishioners. St. James was the second congregation to have a church in Deer Lodge, the first being the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, which opened their second church in 1875.
