Key Number:	HS 31307
Site Name:	Knox United Church
Other Names:
Site Type:	1603 - Religious: Church, Cathedral or Chapel

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	506 - 4 Street SW
Number:	6
Street:	4 SW
Avenue:	5 SW
Other:
Town:	Calgary
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:	Gothic Revival
Plan Shape:	Cruciform with Narthex
Storeys:	Storeys: 1
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Medium Gable
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Wall Design and Detail: Buttress Towers, Steeples and Domes: Tower Window - Structural Opening Shape: Pointed
Exterior:	Gothic windows, buttresses, corner tower. Roofing is copper. Reinforced concrete foundation. Sandstone exterior. Late Victorian Gothic Revival as observed in large scale, smooth sandstone walls, impressive Gothic windows, perpendicular lines, buttresses and the corner tower.
Interior:	Features include a Hammerbeam/King Post truss system, copper roof, Casavant pipe organ and stained glass windows.
Environment:	When built,this was the tallest building in Calgary. Now it is surrounded and dwarfed by skyscrapers.
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. 20 JUL 1978
Alterations:	1961 - Educational addition. Steel frame, sandstone, brick walls, flat roof, full basement, mezzanine, offices, badminton courts.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction initiated. Construction completed.	1912/01/01 1913/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Church	1913/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
Knox Church	1914/04/06

Architect:	Allen & Collens
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Historical Importance: Associated with the earliest Presbyterian congregation in Calgary, established in 1883. The present church is the 4th structure of worship erected by the congregation. The Knox Session assisted in the founding of several new congregations in the city, including Grace Presbyterian, 1905, St. Andrew's Presbyterian, 1906, and various missions. In 1925, the Knox Presbyterian Church became United. The church is significant because of its connection with the early religious history of Calgary. Regarded by many Presbyterians in the province as the 'Cathedral of the West'. *	* Site History: Built in 1912-13, originally as a Presbyterian Church, by Calgary architect, F.J. Lawson. Casavan pipe organ, locally designed and installed in 1913, entirely rebuilt and modernized in 1957. First of 37 stained glass Memorial windows, dedicated in 1921. Church became United in 1925. New educational addition completed in 1961. Heritage Significance : Constructed in 1912-13, the Knox United Church is associated with the first Presbyterian congregation in Calgary which established itself in 1883. Late Victorian Gothic Revival in style, it is constructed of Paskapoo sandstone, cut into polygonal shaped blocks, an unusual feature in Calgary sandstone architecture. The interior has remained unaltered and is one of the best city examples of consistency and unity in design. Interesting features include the large Casavant pipe organ, the Memorial stained glass windows and the unusual ceiling truss system in the nave. Constructed by F.J. Lawson, a notable Calgary architect (formerly from Winnipeg), the church remains on its original site. At one time, the tallest structure in the city, it is now completely surrounded by high-rises. However, it is still regarded as an impressive landmark in downtown Calgary. * * * Draft Plaque Text Knox United Church, Calgary The first service of Knox Presbyterian Church was held in June 1883 in I.G. Baker's general store. Later that year, the small congregation constructed a frame church, and shortly after its completion, it was skidded across the Elbow River adjacent to the railway depot in the new townsite. Having outgrown this building by 1886, the congregation began construction on a larger church which became the first stone building in Calgary. It was in 1912 that construction was begun on this paskapoo sandstone church under the architectural direction of F.J. Lawson of Calgary. The square corner tower and the arched windows are typical of the late Victoria Gothic Revival, so popular in ecclesiastical architecture at this time. The tower made the church the tallest structure in Calgary at the time, and the stonework displays a superior level of craftsmanship. The building is still a prominent landmark in downtown Calgary, despite the density of the surrounding development. In 1925, Knox Presbyterian Church voted to join the United Church of Canada, and came to be known as 'Knox United'. Since its establishment in 1883, the Knox congregation has played a leading role in Calgary's development. In recognition of the significance of this structure, Knox United Church was designated a Registered Historic Resource by the Honourable Horst A. Schmid, Minister Responsible for Culture, on November 16, 1978. * * * Knox United Church Knox Presbyterian was the fourth in a series of churches constructed to serve the needs of the Presbyterian congregation in Calgary which was first established in 1883. The present structure was dedicated on September 14, 1913. In 1925 it became known as 'Knox United' after the congregation voted to join the newly formed United Church of Canada. Built of Paskapoo sandstone under the architectural direction of F.J. Lawson, the structure features a square corner tower, Gothic windows characteristic of the time and a large casavant pipe organ built in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec. Once the tallest building in Calgary, the church remains a prominent landmark despite the density of the surrounding development. It has often been referred to as 'the Cathedral of the West.' In recognition of the significance of both the structure and its congregation, Knox United Church was designated a Provincial Historic Resource on July 4, 1980 by the Honourable Mary J. LeMessurier, Minster of Culture. Erected by the Province of Alberta.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Municipal A List Provincial Historic Resource	1980/04/07

Register:	01-168

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0545