Our Past Is Present May 10, 2018

May 10, 2018

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            The long history of the military and the citizens of Junction City began when Major Ogden came to Kansas in 1855 with his troops and carpenters to build a fort.  With him came several men responsible for establishing the Episcopal Church in Junction City.

            The first church services of any denomination in Junction City were held by The Reverend Preston, an Episcopal Priest, in a room upstairs from the jail on Jefferson Street between Eight and Ninth Streets.  The Reverend David Clarkson, who organized the Episcopal congregations in 1858, named it “St. John’s”.  Chaplain Clarkson was replaced by Chaplain George Henderson in 1859 and it was this man, aided by young Lieutenant J.E.B. Stuart (later Major General Stuart of the Confederate Army), who built the church which stands today at Fourth and Adams. 

            The $1,500 to build the church was raised from officers at Fort Riley and the building began to be built by several laymen and a stone cutter by the name of James M. Harvey, who later became the Governor of Kansas.

            J.E.B. Stuart joined the Confederacy in the early 1860’s and was killed in a Civil War battle in 1864.  During the Civil War, disaster struck the new parish in Junction City.  The roof collapsed.  Reverend Charles Reynolds came to the aid of the struggling parish, which has lost membership in part because of men being gone to war.  A gift of $1,500 was procured from the Church of the Covenant in Philadelphia to erect a second gothic-style roof. The church was renamed “Church of the Covenant”. 

            A few weeks after completion of the new roof – it collapsed again.  A third roof was built again with money from officers of Fort Riley and citizens of Junction City.  The interior was finished and furnished by 1870.  Since then the church has been repaired, remodeled and enlarged and the Rectory and Guild Hall added. 

            Stop by and take a look at the Episcopal Church of the Covenant located at 314 North Adams Street and see why we say “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.