First Presbyterian Church - Lewistown, MT - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

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First Presbyterian Church - Lewistown, MT

in This Old Church

Posted by:  T0SHEA

12T E 619479 N 5213382

About as Gothic Revival as churches get, First Presbyterian was built of local sandstone by Croatian stonemasons.

Croatian stonemasons must be big and strong individuals, as the stones for this church weighed anywhere from 50 to 250 pounds each. Built primarily in 1912 and dedicated in 1913, it was this church which cemented Lewistown's reputation as the “city of stone”. By 1913 courthouse, post office, library and commercial buildings built of stone were to be found lining the streets of the town.

Though not the first Presbyterian Church in the town, First Presbyterian was the last to be built and is unlikely to be replaced anytime soon. Designed by local architects Otto F. Wasmansdorff and George Eastman, the building is exceedingly solid in appearance, doubtless their intention. Built in the shape of a cross, the nave has short transepts on either side and, following the style of the time, a large corner bell tower/steeple. In keeping with the purely Gothic style of the church, the tower's top is crenellated. Below are Gothic arched windows, one above the other two on one side and three on another.

The front of the nave has a very large Gothic arched window with tracery and stained glass, as do each of the transepts. At the front, opposite the tower, a narthex extends out, accessed via stone steps. It appears not to be in use, with the main entrance now being at the side of the building, centered in the east transept.

This grand cut-stone structure was formally dedicated in 1913, becoming a major contributor to Lewistown’s character as a “city of stone.” Although Lewistown had Presbyterian services as early as 1890 and an early Presbyterian Church and manse, planning for this building began in 1909 during Lewistown’s period of greatest growth. The congregation hired local architects Otto F. Wasmansdorff and George Eastman. They created a design with many Gothic Revival details, to be built of native sandstone by local Croatian stone masons under the direction of builder T. J. Tubb. Look for the Gothic Revival influence in the square crenellated bell tower, engaged buttresses with dressed stone weathering caps, the arched windows, and the dressed stone cornice. Imagine the sandstone slabs weighing 140-180 pounds per cubic foot, quarried south of Lewistown, being hauled to the site and then fashioned into precise blocks with hand chisels, hammers, and mallets.
From the NRHP plaque at the building