DATE | IMPORTANT DATES IN ST. GEORGE’S HISTORY |
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May 8, 1873 | First Protestant service in Bismarck conducted by Rev. Charles Swift, an Episcopal clergyman. |
Autumn, 1877 | Rev. J.A. Gordon appointed to conduct Episcopal services once a month in the schoolhouse. |
December 1877 | Organization of the Women’s Guild. |
Spring 1878 | Bishop Robert Harper Clarkson appointed the Rev. J. Gordon Miller to be the first resident missionary. |
October 1878 | Permanent organization of the Episcopal Church in Bismarck. |
Spring 1880 | Construction of a church building was begun at Mandan St. and Ave. A. |
Whitsunday 1881 | Church consecrated by Bishop Clarkson of Omaha, NE and known as the Church of the Bread of Life. |
1882 | The bell from the wrecked/burned Missouri River steamboat “Red Cloud” given to the church by Captain I.P. Baker. |
1890 | Name of the church changed to St. George’s. |
November 1892 | First rectory, 410 First St., bought for $1,050. |
1900 | Church building moved to Thayer and Third Street. |
Summer 1935 | Rev. DeForrest Bolles, Minneapolis, MN, gave the parish 2 lots in the 300 block on Fourth Street. |
July 1937 | Lots at Fourth St. and Ave. B purchased. |
October 1937 | Lots in the 300 block on Fourth St. sold. |
April 1938 | Bishop Atwill conferred with the vestry on ways and means of building a new church. |
November 1943 | The promise by E.A. Hughes of a substantial gift gave impetus to the building program. |
February 1944 | Church building and finance committees were appointed for a new church structure. |
May 1946 | H.M. Leonhard officially named architect to draw plans for a new church. |
April 6, 1948 | Bids opened for construction of the church. |
May 8, 1948 | Ground breaking ceremonies attended by pioneers of all faiths. Actual construction was begun in a few weeks. |
October 24, 1948 | Bishop Atwill conducted services of laying the bronze corner plate. |
March 17, 1949 | A tour of inspection followed the annual parish meeting to note construction progress, and the choir sang the Te Deum. |
September 10, 1949 | Holy Communion administered by Bishop Atwill in old St. George’s for the last time, followed by secularization of the building at 9 am. First service and blessing of the new church by Bishop Atwill and Governor Fred G. Aandahl giving the address at 11 am. Public reception in the crypt at 8 pm. |
September 11, 1949 | Choral communion in the new church, Rev. N.E. Elsworth, celebrant at 9 am. Service of consecration and blessing of the many memorials and gifts. |
March 18, 2020 | St. George’s Episcopal Memorial Church offers livestreaming worship services for the first time due to the Covid-19 pandemic. |
October 5, 2021 | St. George’s Episcopal Memorial Church is accepted on the National Register of Historic Places. |