St. James Episcopal Church and Rectory - Bozeman, MT
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 45° 40.640 W 111° 02.244
12T E 497086 N 5058198
Built of local sandstone, the cornerstone for St. James Episcopal Church was laid on May 8, 1890.
Waymark Code: WMWDQF
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 08/20/2017
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Outspoken1
Views: 0
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In our eyes this is the prettiest church in the city of Bozeman. Entirely of sandstone, with its 80 foot tall buttressed tower standing off from one corner, this church is a treat to look at. A rose window highlights the front facade, while all other windows are Gothic arched, carrying the Gothic Revival theme throughout the building. Each window is filled with stained glass, some installed at the time of construction, some added later. The church's design was the work of architect George Hancock of Fargo, North Dakota.

A large stone addition to the northwest corner of the church, called the Chapel of the Resurrection and designed by Ms. Dorothy Miller of Bozeman, was built in large part by the men of the church. The chapel was consecrated on November 30, 1940.

The tower, which serves as the entrance, extends to the eaves of the nave, at which point the sides slope in slightly to the base of the octagonal belfry. Each side of the belfry has a Gothic arched opening, covered with screening, matching the arch of the red painted wooden doors below and a pair of small, narrow windows in between. Above the belfry is a very tall spire, reminiscent of even earlier churches, with an ornate copper cross atop. Within the belfry can be seen a single large bronze bell, donated to the church in 1883 by Mrs. W.J. Beall. It was Mr. and Mrs. Beall after whom Beall Park in Bozeman was named and on whose land it was built.
St. James Episcopal Church Within the decade, [The Rev. Frank B.] Lewis began the construction of an architectural masterpiece. Using sandstone from Montana quarries and fir from Montana forests, a towering western Gothic structure was built at the corner of Tracy and Olive Streets. The cornerstone was laid on May 8, 1890 and held numerous articles of note (partial list): a Bible, Book of Common Prayer, Hymnal, the April 27th Helena Independent, the May 7th Bozeman Chronicle, the May 3rd Living Church, the 1890 Church Almanac, photographs of Bishop Tuttle, Bishop Brewer, Fr. Lewis and the parish choir respectively, a list of communicants and names of vestry members. Bishop Brewer presided over the laying of the stone with a Prayer Book Service attended by many community leaders.

Services were held in the new church on the first Sunday of October. Dressed in their Sunday finest, parishioners were greeted by the bell tower, which rises 80 feet above the ground below, and elegant cathedral glass windows of German design. Inside they found furniture and pews of strong and solid oak. The bell rung that day by Fr. Lewis was given to the church in 1883 by Mrs. W.J. Beall, a charter member of the parish, and still welcomes people to worship today.

Since that day, memorial stained glass windows have been added. A window honoring scouting was installed in the entrance way and another picturing the holy family was placed in the sanctuary to the east of the altar. It should also be noted that a window from the original 1876 church building was placed to the west of the altar.
From St. James Episcopal
ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND RECTORY

The first services were held in this lovely Gothic style Episcopal church in October 1890. Built at a time when Bozeman hoped to become the capital of Montana, the church reflects the optimism and prosperity that came on the heels of the gold rush in 1863 and statehood in 1889. Episcopalians were among the first to gather in the fledgling settlement of Bozeman when Bishop Daniel Tuttle held services on July 5, 1868. By 1876, a wood frame church stood near the present site. Groundbreaking for the new stone church took place on September 13, 1889. Architect George Hancock of Fargo, North Dakota, provided the building plans; James S. Campbell was general contractor. Built of grey sandstone from the local Esler quarry, the church features a stately bell tower crowned with a copper cross. Prior to completion of the bell tower, the 500-pound, five-tone bell, donated in 1883 by Rosa (Mrs. W. J.) Beall, was housed on a platform in front of the wood frame church. The church interior reflects the same craftsmanship as the structure. The trussed ceiling is finished in natural oiled Norway pine paneling. Softly blended colors of cathedral glass in the windows reflect the Art Nouveau style of the period. The adjacent rectory, constructed in 1883, was remodeled to its present Colonial Revival style in 1930. The parish hall connecting the rectory and church was designed in 1940 by Fed Willson. St. James symbolized the solid foundations laid by her pioneer congregation.
From the NRHP plaque at the building
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Street address:
9 West Olive Street
Bozeman, MT United States
59715

County / Borough / Parish: Gallatin County

Year listed: 1987

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Social History, Architecture

Periods of significance: 1875-1899

Historic function: Religion

Current function: Religion

Privately owned?: yes

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 2: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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