History

*DATE*	*IMPORTANT DATES IN ST. GEORGE’S HISTORY*
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 sunken 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.