History of St. Bart's
OLDEST CHURCH IN HIGH SPRINGS, FL
St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church was one of the first churches built after the
great storm of 1896, and is today the oldest church standing in High Springs
with continuous services. The church property, two blocks from the center of
town was deeded to the Protestant Episcopal Church on June 23, 1885,
by George E. Foster.
Facing NW 238th Street, the church looks much like the other churches of the
1895-1900 era, painted white on the outside, with stained walls and open
cathedral ceiling on the inside.
St. Bartholomew's was built in the Carpenter Gothic style designed and
popularized by Richard Upjohn, an English architect who came to the
United States in the early 1800's and specialized in the design of rural
churches. The floor plan consists of a nave and transept, symbolizing
the Cross of Calvary. The open ceiling with beams in view is made like
that of an inverted ship. The tall windows were originally made of blown
wavy glass.
On September 29, 1896, a hurricane roared in from the Gulf of Mexico near
Cedar Key, spawning a tornado which severely damaged the City of
High Springs and destroyed many stores, homes and churches.
English workmen were brought to High Springs to work on the railroad
and these men, together with the townspeople, gathered after work hours
and in their free time to cut and hew timbers from storm toppled pine trees.
These timbers were used to construct the church, pews, altar rails and altar.
The women prepared and carried the men's suppers to them at the worksite
so the men could work through the daylight hours, until darkness forced
them to stop. The building housing St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church
was valued at $365.00 upon completion. Following a hurricane which almost
blew the building over, steel rods were placed across the nave and a small
sacristy was built joining the church at the transept to shore up the church
and balance the building.
The two stained glass windows at the altar tilt into the church when open.
These were given in memory of Mr. and Mrs. H.R. Dear by the Dear family
in the late 1930's. The family came to High Springs from England when
Mr. Dear was given the executive position at Loncala Phosphate.
The large window of Christ over the altar was taken from the scene of the
Lord's Supper and was given in memory of the Vaughn's by the Vaughn family
in 1963. It was crafted and installed by German artists.
Heating and cooling of St. Bartholomew's was for many years dependent
upon the weather. There was a small wood stove to the left of the entrance
during the early years which provided heat in the winter. During the summer,
windows were pushed up and the breeze cooled the congregation.
The Reverend George Gilmour was probably the first priest to hold
Episcopal services in High Springs. Nine communicants were worshipping
with him in January 1895.
Two years later, in the just completed building, the congregation numbered
fifty-seven, of whom twenty-seven had been confirmed.
Bishop Edwin G. Weed (1886-1924) accepted the High Springs church as an
organized mission on June 5, 1899.
St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church was one of the first churches built after the
great storm of 1896, and is today the oldest church standing in High Springs
with continuous services. The church property, two blocks from the center of
town was deeded to the Protestant Episcopal Church on June 23, 1885,
by George E. Foster.
Facing NW 238th Street, the church looks much like the other churches of the
1895-1900 era, painted white on the outside, with stained walls and open
cathedral ceiling on the inside.
St. Bartholomew's was built in the Carpenter Gothic style designed and
popularized by Richard Upjohn, an English architect who came to the
United States in the early 1800's and specialized in the design of rural
churches. The floor plan consists of a nave and transept, symbolizing
the Cross of Calvary. The open ceiling with beams in view is made like
that of an inverted ship. The tall windows were originally made of blown
wavy glass.
On September 29, 1896, a hurricane roared in from the Gulf of Mexico near
Cedar Key, spawning a tornado which severely damaged the City of
High Springs and destroyed many stores, homes and churches.
English workmen were brought to High Springs to work on the railroad
and these men, together with the townspeople, gathered after work hours
and in their free time to cut and hew timbers from storm toppled pine trees.
These timbers were used to construct the church, pews, altar rails and altar.
The women prepared and carried the men's suppers to them at the worksite
so the men could work through the daylight hours, until darkness forced
them to stop. The building housing St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church
was valued at $365.00 upon completion. Following a hurricane which almost
blew the building over, steel rods were placed across the nave and a small
sacristy was built joining the church at the transept to shore up the church
and balance the building.
The two stained glass windows at the altar tilt into the church when open.
These were given in memory of Mr. and Mrs. H.R. Dear by the Dear family
in the late 1930's. The family came to High Springs from England when
Mr. Dear was given the executive position at Loncala Phosphate.
The large window of Christ over the altar was taken from the scene of the
Lord's Supper and was given in memory of the Vaughn's by the Vaughn family
in 1963. It was crafted and installed by German artists.
Heating and cooling of St. Bartholomew's was for many years dependent
upon the weather. There was a small wood stove to the left of the entrance
during the early years which provided heat in the winter. During the summer,
windows were pushed up and the breeze cooled the congregation.
The Reverend George Gilmour was probably the first priest to hold
Episcopal services in High Springs. Nine communicants were worshipping
with him in January 1895.
Two years later, in the just completed building, the congregation numbered
fifty-seven, of whom twenty-seven had been confirmed.
Bishop Edwin G. Weed (1886-1924) accepted the High Springs church as an
organized mission on June 5, 1899.
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