Trinity Episcopal Church, 310 East Noble Avenue, Guthrie

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OKLA,42-GUTH,1A-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

310 East Noble Ave. (Corner of Noble and N. Broad) Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma. Present Owner The Protestant Episcopal Catholic Foundation of America. Present Occupant; Trinity Episcopal Church. Present Use; House of Worship. Statement of Significance; This frame Church building is a prototype of early Episcopal churches in the southwest, a strict adherent to the formula for pioneer churches of the day. It is important to Guthrie in being one of its earliest, and the only remaining, of the Territorial churches, and to the Episcopal Church of Oklahoma for being the first building erected for the permanent use of a congregation in the State. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A, Physical History: 1. Date of erection: June-August, 2. Architect: Unknown.

In page 80 of the earliest volume of church records now in possession of the congregation, there is reference in the enumeration of buildings expenses to an amount of paid simply to "architect." 3. Original and subsequent owners: The following is a complete chain of title from to the present, to the land on which the structure now stands. Reference is to the Clerk's Office of the County of Logan, Oklahoma: Trustee deed February 4, recorded March 23, Book D page Trustees for the Townsite of East Guthrie to Nannie Baren Warranty deed March 9, recorded April 17, book 4 page Nannie Baren and W. S. Baren to C. M. Barnes, Trustee TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH HABS No. OK-11 (Page 2) Warranty deed July 24, recorded July 24, Book 10 page C. M.

Barnes, Trustee, to Trinity Episcopal Church Warranty deed April 12, recorded September 16, Book 49 page 87, Trinity Episcopal Church to Trustees of Church Property, Protestant Episocpal Church ; Quit claim deed September 30, recorded October 17, Book 105 page Oklahoma Episcopal Church Trustees Incorporated to Protestant Episcopal Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Oklahoma. 4. Builders, suppliers: a. Builder: Unknown. b. Suppliers: Unknown. 5. Orignal plans and construction: According to the church history, page 6, the building was to be a simple frame rectangle of 25' x 6. Alterations and additions: The building was opened in August of at its first location, 109 E. Noble Ave., with no chancel or porch.

These were added sometime in November of the chancel being 18' x at a cost of (Vestry minutes, June 28 and November 15, The church functioned without change until when it was moved to 314 E. Noble Ave., and the original lots were sold (Hanes interview; County Deed Records of lots 4, 5 and 6 block 44, Guthrie Proper) . The building remained unchanged, apparently, until the congregation began to outgrow it toward the end of the first dacade of the Twentieth Century when construction was begun on the new church at 310 E. Noble Ave., two lots west of the first site. The older building continued to function as a church until Sunday, May 18, when the new building was opened (Church History, p. 8).

A street sign for the church (now in possession of the parish) dating between and gives the old address as the place of services. While the foundations for the new building were being excavated, the old church and the frame rectory (which had been on the property when it was acquired in were temporarily moved so that they could be permanently placed after the foundations were completed. TRINITY EPISCOPAL HABS No.

OK-11 (Page 3) When the final and permanent relocation of the two frame buildings was accomplished, the old church, which had been east of the rectory with its entrance on the south facing the street, abutted the new building at its chancel with its formerly south end and the rectory was moved so that its entrance, which had also faced south, now faced east, its former east end connected to the old church south of it at the extreme eastern end. This new arrangement, when the new building was completed, formed a "U" with its open end to the south, making a courtyard accessible from the street. The old south porch of the rectory was removed, and the old church served from that time on as a parish house and church hall.

The entire operation was completed before October of when the survey was made for the Sanborn Map of that date which shows the property as described. At that point the old church began an extensive series of modifications which still continue. Between and the present, probably during the early (from an interview with Bailey Hanes, church historian, the peaked ceiling of beaded boarding was dropped to a horizontal one and then lowered a second time in The original ceiling still exists above the new ones. In the roof of cypress shingles was replaced by a modern one and this, too, remains beneath its replacement. Tne north door of the room was cut into one of the pointed arch windows, and the arch was boarded.

The southwesternmost window (from here on, positions will be described according to the present location of the structure) was enlarged to a double door, leading to a small porch, a further addition. Ihe heating system was updated and the stoves removed, although the chimneys are still in place. The walls have been paneled in "beaver board." Hie chancel ceiling was lowered (separately from that of the former nave) only once, the large pointed arch over the altar partially closed, and the area converted to a kitchen. Two small square windows were apparently cut into the south wall of that part of the church and later closed again.

Shortly after the church was turned ninety degrees on the lot, the rectory, which had been west of the church, was moved so that it met at right angles to the chancel end of the old church, its facade (formerly facing south) now facing east. A porch was removed from that side of the house. TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH HABS No. OK-11 (Page 4) B. Historical Events and Persons Connected with the Structure 1. F. B. Lillie. First druggist of Oklahoma, holder of Pharmacists License No. 1, Lillie was among the most important businessmen of early Guthrie. One of the founders of the Trinity Church congregation, he was also instrumental in the founding of the Carnegie Library. 2. Cassius M. Barnes. With F. B. Lillie, the founder of the church.

Barnes was born in Greigsville, raised in Michigan, and came to Guthrie from Fort Smith, Arkansas, having been appointed receiver of the land office at Guthrie, making him one of the very first settlers of Oklahoma. In he was elected to the Territoral Assembly from Guthrie and became Speaker of the House, and was re-elected in He was appointed Territorial Governor on April 21, by William McKinley, and was inaugurated May 26 of that year. He served in that office for one term. His administration was noted chiefly for the advancement of higher education, especially for the Northwestern Normal School at Alva, a controversial issue of the period. Barns served Trinity as a lay reader during the early years when no permanent clergy were available. 3. Henry Asp.

One of the charter members of the congregation. Asp, as legal representative of the Santa Fe, was one of the most powerful men of both Guthrie and Oklahoma. He figured prominently in Guthrie's struggle for political supremacy of the Territory. 4. Frank Greer. Crusader for Republicanism and Guthrie, the powerful editor of the State Capital newspaper was also among the first members of the congregation. 5. Rev. Charles W. Tyler. One of the "heroes" of the Episcopal church in Oklahoma, Tyler came to Guthrie's Trinity Church in to act as its first permanent pastor.

Before completing his degree at the "missionary minded seminary at Nashota, Wisconsin," he accepted a call to the new church with a sense of zeal and challenge, and set upon a one man "effort to give the Protestant Episcopal Church clergy representation among the more than Oklahomans, already infiltrated as they were by many dozens of clergymen from many other religious denominations." (Botkin, p. 18) He was a great success and established a substantial reputation for himself through parish and missionary- work, and became a driving force of the church in Oklahoma with his monthly newspaper, the Oklahoma and Indian Territory Churchmen. His missions took him to Stillwater, Chandler, El Reno, Anadarko, Tecumseh, Kingfisher, Purcell and Norman.

He remained at Guthrie until the summer of TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH HABS No. OK-11 (Page 5) when he became parish priest for a congregation in Iowa. 6. Rev. Francis Key Brooke. Consecrated missionary Bishop of Oklahoma at Grace Cathedral, Topeka, Kansas, on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, the church hierarchy's answer to four years of pleading by the Guthrie congregation. He arrived at Guthrie on January 19, and was entertained at a reception in the U.S. Courtroom that evening. His arrival made Trinity Church the first Episcopal Cathedral of Oklahoma, and meant that Oklahomans could now be consecrated into the church via the sacrament only a bishop can administer, Confirmation. Brooke was responsible for substantial growth in the church, and his testimonials were endless.

He removed himself and the Cathedral to Oklahoma City in just before the removal of the State Capital. C. Sources of Information: 1. Old views: a. The only old view of the frame church is a photograph taken after it had been established at its second location, sometime between and The rectory is visible partially in its original position. It is now in the possession of the parish and is on display in the vestibule of the old building. 2.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OKLA,42-GUTH,1A-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

a. Primary and unpublished sources: 1. Deed records. Office of the Clerk of Logan County 2. History of Trinity Episcopal Church 3. Interview with Bailey Hanes, Church Historian, Summer, 4. Minutes of the Vestry of Trinity Episcopal Church 5. Program of the Twenty-eighth Annual Convention of the Diocese of Oklahoma 6. Records of Trinity Episcopal Qiurch, 7. Sanborn Insurance Maps, b. Secondary and published sources: TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH HABS No. OK-11 (Page 6) 1. Botkin, Sam T. The Episcopal Church in Oklahoma. Oklahoma City: American-Bond Printing Co., pp. 17, 18, 19, 27, 28, 29. 2. Portrait and Biographical Record of Oklahoma.

"Coircnemorating the achievements of citizens who have contributed to the progress of Oklahoma and the development of its resources." Chicago: Chapman Publishing Co., "Hon. Cassius M. Barnes" pp. "Henry E. Asp" p. 37. 3. Likely sources not yet investigated: a. The records of Trinity Church in the Archives of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City. Prepared by John D. Hnedak Project Supervisor Historic American Buildings Survey PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION Trinity Church can be divided into three distinct buildings, only two of which hold significance. The original church, now the parish house, is a one story white frame building with a gabled roof. The windows show a preference for Gothic detail. The double hung sashes are designed to resemble double lancets.

Tne present brick church is a one story building, also exhibiting Gothic elements. The steeply pitched gabled roof, the buttressing, the arched windows and the dormer vents all add to this impression. The side porch entrance is framed with the same molding that surrounds the windows. For additional information, see Town of Guthrie (OK-10). PART III. PROJECT INFORMATION This project was undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey in cooperation with the Oklahoma Historical Society, which provided funds. Under the direction of John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, the project was completed during the sunmer of at the Historic American Buildings Survey field office, Guthrie, Oklahoma, by Prof. John C. Haggard (Syracuse University), Project Supervisor; John D.

Hnedak (Cornell University), Project Historian; William E. Barrett, Project Photographer; and student architects: Barry (Iowa State University) John Robbins (University of Virginia), Julian Smith (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Howard Takenaka (University of Oregon).