Historic Churches In OC
Southern California is home to many beautiful, elaborate and historic churches in Orange County. Here are a few churches that are worth visiting in order to learn more about the history of the establishment and the region.
Saint Michael's Episcopal Church
311 W. South St.
Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 535-4654
www.stmichaels.ladiocese.org
Built in 1876, this English country-style church was on Emily and Adele streets in Anaheim before it was moved to its current location in 1955. When first built, it was an example of the Gothic Revival style that was popular at that time. The building was located on the corner of Emily and Adele streets along a driveway surrounded by trees and a fence. It was in 1955 that the building was moved one mile to its original location. The church's architecture embodies the type, period and method that was popular during its inception. The building was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Episcopal Church of the Messiah
614 N. Bush St.
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 543-9389
www.messiah-santaana.org
The Church of the Messiah is part of a larger network as one of the 147 congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. The core values of the church reflect spirituality, reason, compassion and community. This particular congregation was founded in 1883 and was dedicated by The Reverend William Kip in 1889, the first Bishop of California. Orange County National Registry of Historic Places has listed the Episcopal Church as a landmark in the region. English-born architect Ernest Coxhead designed the simple details of the church at a cost of $4,592 and it hails as the oldest church building still used in Orange County today.
First Baptist Church of Orange
192 S. Orange St.
Orange, CA 92866
Another church on the National Register of Historic Places is this First Baptist Church of Orange. It was listed back in 1996 and was originally built in 1912 in what is known as a Queen Anne Carpenter Gothic style. Buildings with this style are characterized with steeply pitched roofs, a one-story porch, asymmetrical floor plans, round porches and express the inventiveness of the industrial-age builders. Although this Baptist Church is not currently functioning as a church, it serves as an historic symbol in Orange County. You can visit the church location that is now functioning as a Mexican restaurant, Avila's El Ranchito.
St. John's Lutheran Church
185 S. Center St.
Orange, CA 92866
(714) 288-4400
www.stjohnsorange.org
A group of Lutherans gathered in the Orange area in 1881 and decided to begin a congregation, calling Reverend Jacob Kogler to serve as the first pastor. After a year of meeting in homes, the congregation bought an old school house in 1882 and remodeled it as their official sanctuary. In 1914, the congregation had 1,100 worshipers and has since grown to more than 4,000 members today with 800 students at its Lutheran School. The National Register of Historic Places placed the Lutheran Church on its list in 1991.
Fullerton First United Methodist Church
117 N. Pomona Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92831
(714) 871-4115
www.ffumc.net
At the time of the conception of Fullerton First Methodist Church in 1888, no religious services were held in Fullerton. Reverend Francis Holcomb arrived from Iowa and the local Presbyterians sold the church building to the Methodists for $2,000. As the church began to grow and relocate throughout the years, by 1955 there were more than 1,500 members. In 1963, an educational plant was completed, but the church had a fire that broke out 15 months later during a service. Through all the trials and tribulations, the church was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
Related: Best Literary Landmarks In OC
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