Alberta Register of Historic Places

St. Mary's Anglican Church

Empress

Other Names:

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place
The wooden church building sits on a single lot overlooking the Village of Empress, the vacant lot to the south is also part of the property package. The asphalt shingles were in fair condition and were replaced in July 2008 with #2 cedar shake shingles. At the east end of the building is an outdoor biffy. The church building measures about 48 feet long and 20 feet wide with the inside being divided into a sanctuary 6 feet x 19 feet, a chancel 8.5 feet x 19 feet, a nave 24.5 feet x 19 feet, and a narthex 7.5 feet x 19 feet. The estimated height of the building is about 32 feet. The Church was built on an East - West Axis with an outside cellar entrance on the north side. The outside bell tower is also located on the north side of the building near the entrance.

Heritage Value
The Railway Mission was instrumental in establishing the first Anglican Church services in Empress, Alberta. Sunday September 1, 1913 the Reverand Charles Harrington, then stationed in Alsask, took the first service. It was conducted in the furniture store of N.D. Storey with twelve people present. The collection was $1.00. Following services were very successful, Reverand Harrington often drove the thirty-six miles with team and buggy in temperatures from -10F to -40F

The first meeting held to organize a church society was held September 27, 1913. A meeting was also held to discuss the building of a church. A Building Committee was set up; the Railway Mission donated $600.00 and the local society raised $300.00 towards the cost. The building site had been purchased by the Railway Mission Board in 1913. Various fundraising endeavours were embarked upon. A minstrel show was held in the Grand Theatre to a crowded house in November 1913. The church was named St. Mary, the Virgin and the formal opening was held October 25, 1914. It was the first church to be built in Empress. A local branch of the Women's Auxillary Society was formed. The Society raised sufficient sums of money to purchase pews, organ, and complete furnishings. The alter furnishings were donated by the Reverand Catherine Little, of England. There was a choir of twelve people and the Women's Auxillary provided for their supplies as well. A Sunday School was started by Mrs. George Durk, who donated a font to the church in 1915. The bishops of the diocese visited the parish on several occasions for confirmation services. There were seven candidates in the first confirmation service held March 31, 1915. The Sunday School Van, started by Miss Eva Hasell, in 1920, called on all families with children and enrolled them in Sunday School by Post Lessons, if they lived far from a church. The last recorded service was conducted September 6, 1992 by Reverand Tom Thurlow. On June 27, 2003 Velma Booker sent a letter to the diocese of Calgary asking for guidance in how to proceed with St. Mary's becoming a Historic Recourse in the Village of Empress. July 24, 2003 the duly called Meeting of the Persons interested in the future of St. Mary the Virgin was held. Archdeacon Derek Hoskin, chaired the meeting and after some discussion the concensus reached was that everyone would like to have St. Mary's Church remain on its present site in the Village of Empress with as much of its current contents as permissable; so that it could be a place for tourists to visit and a place where community could gather on historic occasions for interdenominational celebrations. The Archdeacon noted that the Diocese of Calgary would likely look favourably at such a request, but would hope to receive some compensation for the lot on which the building sits. It was also noted that the Diocese would not approach the Provincial Government regarding Historic Resource Site Designation, but if the building was turned over to some community group then they could do so. Members of Empress and District Historical Society reported that the Historical Society Board had discussed the possibility of acquiring St. Mary's as an Historic Resource for the community and all were in favour of such a plan. An Inventory and Report of Condition of St. Mary's the Virgin Anglican Church dated July 24- 25, 2003 was compiled and submitted to the Diocese and on January 15, 2009 Council of the Village of Empress, at it's Regular Monthly meeting has decided to designate this precious and unique building as an Historical Resource.

Character-Defining Elements
The village is built on the north slope of a gently rising hill. The church is central to the village and overlooks half of the village to the north, the view is scenic and peaceful. Outside, a free standing signboard is located off to the left as the church is entered. To the east, or back of the building an outdoor biffy is discreetly located behind the church. The door to the biffy faces the back of the church. 1 belltower, in June 2004, the outside bell tower was replaced with and exact replica of the original one, it being unsafe in it's current state. The new tower was built, by volunteers, with Antique Douglas Fir Lumber reclaimed from a building of 1916. The bell is G S Bell co, Hillsboro, O. No. 24 Yoke and is 23 inches in diameter. The building features Douglas Fir Lumber frame construction, with the original cedar siding still intact, painted white. The roof is built using a 1-2 pitch. A 6ft x 6ft porchlike structure shelters the front, west facing door. The roof of this structure is the same pitch as the roof of the church. A wooden cross sits at the peak of this porch, 12 feet above ground, another sits atop the peak of the church as well. An old red brick chimney is situated on the south outside wall 1/3 ways from the front of the church. It is approximately 20-25 feet high and not in use. The ouside door is solid wood, painted white. The inside door is half wavy glass and half solid dark stained wood. The oustide cellar entrance on the the north side has 2 root cellar doors. The ceiling is vaulted approx 1/3 of way up, a flat ceiling extends across and down the entire length of the building. Inside north and south walls are plaster painted cream. Inside east and west walls are fiber board painted cream and the ceiling appears to be of the same materials. 3 windows on the north wall and south wall: 27 paned- windows are 30 inches high, 78 inches long, situated 6 feet, 6 inches above the floor, storm windows are in place, clear glass along with green pull down window blinds. Wooden window frames are stained dark wood and varnished. 6 wooden arches sit on wooden buttresses, the lower edge of each buttress is 10 feet above the floor. Inside the door along the west wall are coat hooks mounted to a dark wooden stained board, and there is one locally made hymn board with individual number slots and a locally made number set.

Location

Street Address:	512 - 2 Street West
Community:	Empress
Boundaries:	Lots 31 and 32 ,Block 17, Plan 5043AV
Contributing Resources:	Buildings: 1

ATS Legal Description:

Mer	Rge	Twp	Sec	LSD
4	1	23	13	01

PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):

Plan	Block	Lot	Parcel
5043AV	17	31-32

Latitude/Longitude:

Latitude	Longitude	CDT	Datum Type
50.95266	-110.010463	Secondary Source	NAD83

UTM Reference:

Northing	Easting	Zone	CDT	Datum Type

Recognition

Recognition Authority:	Local Governments (AB)
Designation Status:	Municipal Historic Resource
Date of Designation:	2009/05/21

Historical Information

Built:	1914 to 1914
Period of Significance:	Oct.25,1914 - Sept.6,1992
Theme(s):	Building Social and Community Life : Religious Institutions Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life : Architecture and Design
Historic Function(s):
Current Function(s):
Architect:
Builder:
Context:

Additional Information

Object Number:	4664-0197
Designation File:
Related Listing(s):
Heritage Survey File:
Website Link:
Data Source:	Village of Empress