Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral. . , Christ Church Cathedral , Although this site was designated on the Original Plan of Houston as the School Reserve, its only occupant has been Christ Church. Founded on March 16, 1839, Christ Church was designated the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas in 1949., In 1845 parishioners of Christ Church began to erect their first building, seen in this 1852 watercolor painting by English artist Thomas Flintoff. The small brick church, which faced Fannin Street, was finally completed in 1847. However, it was soon outgrown and plans were made for a larger one. , Photo: Jean D. B. Salvado, According to tradition, workmen were constructing the new church when a man on horseback came riding down Texas Avenue with a herd of cattle. When he noticed the work alongside his route, he roped a steer and gave it as a contribution to the congregation’s building efforts. The seal of the Diocese of Texas, adopted almost a century later, commemorates this early gift. , Photo: Christ Church Cathedral, The present church, a Gothic Revival building designed by J. Arthur Tempest and Silas McBee, was erected in 1893. Christ Church Cathedral continues as an active and vital parish, ministering to a broad spectrum of the downtown community and drawing its communicants from throughout the greater Houston area. , Photo: Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library