1886 - Saint Paul Episcopal Church - Columbia, PA
N 40° 01.937 W 076° 00.000
18T E 414679 N 4431819
Built in 1886 & consecrated in 1888, this almost 125-year old church is still active in the community, hosting many events. They have a killer website and a terrific building. It's in the Columbia Historic Dist. & is also a contributing structure.
Waymark Code: WM9DHA
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 08/05/2010
Views: 3
The cornerstone is on the lower left side and is hard to get to or take a picture of as it is fenced in but there is no mistaking the etched 1886. The stone is a big white block which also has the name of the church written on it as well. It sits four feet off of the ground, just above the foundation and surrounded by gray stone.
Very cool church with lots of gables, gothic-styled windows, a neat dated memorial over the furthest right entrance to the extreme rear, behind the church in what looks like an early addition or the original part of the church. There is also a huge bell tower extending way above the right side of the church. The cornerstone is on the lower left side and is hard to get to or take a picture of as it is fenced in but there is no mistaking the etched 1886.
I found the following history from the source cited below. uring the 1880's the Rev. Francis Moran dreamed of great things for Saint Paul Parish and encouraged the building of a new church on Locust Street in the center of Columbia. The new church, built at a cost of $26,000, with a seating capacity of 300, was consecrated on January 25, 1888. A stone parish house was built at the rear of the church in 1891, but was not consecrated until 1910 when a wealthy benefactor in the parish agreed to assume the balance on the considerable debt of the building.
Additions have been made to the church over the years. During the Depression, when the cost of heating the large church became a financial drain, the Holy Communion Chapel in the crypt of the church was built. It continued to be used into the late 1950's when it was abandon as no longer necessary. In 1945, Dr. and Mrs. John Denny gave the church a marble altar and hard carved wooden reredos depicting a crucifix and figures of the Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist, and Saints Peter and Paul. Other changes followed, including a rood screen, a new flagstone aisle in the nave, installation of glass entrance doors, renovation of the parish offices, and refurbishing of a meeting area for small groups. One of our largest capital projects was the structural renovation of our bell tower, which was completed in 2001.
Address
340 Locust Street
Columbia, PA 17512-1121
(717) 684-8496
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