Deadwood in Lawrence County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

St. Johns Episcopal Church, Est. 1880

— A Trail to Deadwood's Past —

St. John's Episcopal Church Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2023

1. St. John's Episcopal Church Marker

Inscription.

St. Johns Episcopal Church, Est. 1880. . , In 1877, the first organized Episcopal services were held at the Langrishe Theatre in the mining camp of Deadwood City. From this humble beginning, a determined congregation of men and women established the Protestant Episcopal Society of Deadwood in July of 1878. Their goal was to develop a permanent Episcopal Church in Deadwood Gulch. Within two years, the Episcopal congregation purchased the lot before you and began work on the church. Due to its prominent location on Williams Street, this church would appear in many photographs of Deadwood taken from the Mount Moriah overlook. On September 12, 1880 Episcopal Bishop William H. Hare presided over the cornerstone ceremony for what would become the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist. Seven months later, the church was officially dedicated on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1881, but work on the building's interior continued for 10 more years, with the stained glass windows installed on Christmas Day, 1891. In the ensuing years, St. John's would be referred to as the "mother church" of the Black Hills, because of its early beginnings. , St. John's Episcopal Church continued to grow and prosper through numerous charitable donations from its congregation. Over the years, such notable families as Seth Bullock, W.E. Adams, George V. Ayres and Isaac C. Forest have filled the pews. In 1904, a massive pipe organ manufactured by the J.W. Steere and Sons of Springfield, Massachusetts was purchased and installed in the church. It was the first of its kind in the Black Hills. Deadwood businessman and Mayor William E. Adams purchased the marble baptismal font in memory of his daughter Lucile in 1912. Upon Adam's death in 1934, his wife Mary donated the circular dove of peace stained glass window above the church's altar. In 1960, the George R. Hunter family added the education wing (the addition visible to your left) in memory of their son, John A. Hunter. In 2019, the wrought iron fence before you was dedicated to the memory of Mayor Barbara and Malcolm Allen. , Today, St. John's Episcopal Church continues to serve the Deadwood community and its visitors as a haven of prayer and peace for all who enter.

In 1877, the first organized Episcopal services were held at the Langrishe Theatre in the mining camp of Deadwood City. From this humble beginning, a determined congregation of men and women established the Protestant Episcopal Society of Deadwood in July of 1878. Their goal was to develop a permanent Episcopal Church in Deadwood Gulch. Within two years, the Episcopal congregation purchased the lot before you and began work on the church. Due to its prominent location on Williams Street, this church would appear in many photographs of Deadwood taken from the Mount Moriah overlook. On September 12, 1880 Episcopal Bishop William H. Hare presided over the cornerstone ceremony for what would become the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist. Seven months later, the church was officially dedicated on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1881, but work on the building's interior continued for 10 more years, with the stained glass windows installed on Christmas Day, 1891. In the ensuing years, St. John's would be referred to as the "mother church" of the Black Hills, because of its early beginnings.

St. John's Episcopal Church continued to grow and prosper through numerous charitable donations from its congregation. Over the years, such notable families as Seth Bullock, W.E. Adams, George V. Ayres and Isaac C. Forest have filled the pews.

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In 1904, a massive pipe organ manufactured by the J.W. Steere & Sons of Springfield, Massachusetts was purchased and installed in the church. It was the first of its kind in the Black Hills. Deadwood businessman and Mayor William E. Adams purchased the marble baptismal font in memory of his daughter Lucile in 1912. Upon Adam's death in 1934, his wife Mary donated the circular dove of peace stained glass window above the church's altar. In 1960, the George R. Hunter family added the education wing (the addition visible to your left) in memory of their son, John A. Hunter. In 2019, the wrought iron fence before you was dedicated to the memory of Mayor Barbara and Malcolm Allen.

Today, St. John's Episcopal Church continues to serve the Deadwood community and its visitors as a haven of prayer and peace for all who enter.

Erected by Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Churches & Religion • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.

Location. 44° 22.626′ N, 103° 43.871′ W. Marker is in Deadwood, South Dakota, in Lawrence County. Marker is on Williams Street just north of Shine Street, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located directly in front

Marker detail: Church Interior image. Click for full size.

City of Deadwood Archives

2. Marker detail: Church Interior

Interior view of St. John's Episcopal Church and the J.W. Steere & Son pipe organ from Springfield, Massachusetts. The pipe organ was dedicated on November 22, 1904.

of the subject church, just to the left of the front entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 Williams Street, Deadwood SD 57732, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Forest Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); Broadway Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Jack McCall Capture Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Deadwood 1876 (within shouting distance of this marker); Black Hills Trust and Savings Bank (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Fire of 1879 (about 300 feet away); Waite Block Annex (about 300 feet away); Deadwood's Carnegie Library (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Deadwood.

Also see . . . A brief history of Deadwood’s Historic St. John’s Episcopal Church built in 1880. (Facebook Video). (Submitted on October 21, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: St. John's Episcopal Church image. Click for full size.

Adams Museum Collection, Deadwood History, Inc.

3. Marker detail: St. John's Episcopal Church

View from the Mount Moriah Cemetery overlook, circa 1884 (yellow circle).

Marker detail: St. John's Episcopal Church, circa 1906 image. Click for full size.

City of Deadwood Archives

4. Marker detail: St. John's Episcopal Church, circa 1906

St. John's Episcopal Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2023

5. St. John's Episcopal Church

(marker is on left side of front entrance)

St. John's Episcopal Church (<i>northeast elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2023

6. St. John's Episcopal Church (northeast elevation)

Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 58 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 21, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.