Site plan, St. Athanasius Episcopal Church, Burlington, North Carolina

St. Athanasius Episcopal Church (Burlington, N.C.)
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Item information

Title:
Site plan, St. Athanasius Episcopal Church, Burlington, North Carolina
Description:
2 of 13
Topics:
Architecture
Subjects:
Architecture, Domestic -- Carpenter gothic
Church buildings
Original Format:
Measured drawing
Extent:
scale: 1 in. = 20 ft.; 483mm x 610mm
Item identifier:
bh017602401
Delineator:
Long, William E. more info on Long, William E. 
Delineator:
Pegram, James D. more info on Pegram, James D. 
Created Date:
Genre:
Architectural drawings
Site plans
Location:
Burlington (N.C.)
Digital Project:
Built Heritage

Source information

Repository:
Special Collections Research Center at NC State University Libraries
Collection:
Historic Architecture Research. Project Records (UA110.041) held by Special Collections Research Center at NC State University Libraries
Note field:
Not all materials from the physical collection may have been scanned. Images may have been enhanced for web access.
Rights:
For questions regarding copyright or permissions, please refer to our Reproduction, Use, Citation, and Copyright page (http://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/about).
Funding:
Digitization of this image was partially supported with federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds made possible through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

Building: Saint Athanasius Episcopal Church (Burlington, Alamance County, North Carolina)

Architect:
more info on Oertel, J. A. 
Builder:
more info on Coble, John 
Built:
Street:
300 East Webb Ave.
Community:
Burlington
State:
North Carolina
Architectural note:
Artist and Episcopalian priest J. A. Oertel's design was influenced by Richard Upjohn's "Rural Architecture." In 1908, Hobart Upjohn received a commission to plan a larger Gothic Revival church for the congregation, one of his first buildings in North Carolina.
Historical note:
The Episcopalians were the second denomination in the railroad village of Company Shops, forerunner of Burlington, to construct their own church. Before 1879, all denominations worshiped in the Union Church building. During 1874 and 1879, three sons and daughters of Joseph Erwin of Morganton came to Alamance County, bringing the Episcopal faith with them. With the aid of Mrs. John S. Murphy and Mrs. M. M. Shoffner, the Erwin family organized a new congregation. After purchasing a one acre lot from the North Carolina Railroad, the Erwin family arranged for the construction of Saint Athanasius to begin, Captain W.H Turrentine, construction engineer for Company Shops, supervised the building of the new church. The cornerstone was laid by the Reverend Theodore Lyman, D.D., on Friday, November 21, 1879. The first Episcopal Church of Company Shops was completed on 1880. The total cost of the building, including fixtures, was about one thousand dollars. The first service held in the new church was conducted by the Reverend Robert B. Sutton, and Bishop Lyman led to dedication service. It was on this day that the church was given the name "Saint Athanasius" in honor of a Greek church leader during the third and forth centuries. Since St. Athanasius was primarily a mission in the beginning, the Reverend Sutton preached in this church only once or twice a month. The first rector was the Reverend William L. Reaney who came from Maryland in 1886. The last rector was the Reverend John B. Gibble. In 1909, a lot was bought for a new Episcopal Church. Thus, Saint Athanasius remained the chief church of its kind in the community of Burlington until November, 1911 when a larger church was completed. Since 1931, Saint Athanasius has been used by an organized parish of deaf people. Reverend Fortune, a deaf man from Durham, ministered to the congregation until his death. His son, the Reverend James R. Fortune, continued the work of his father. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Location:
Burlington (N.C.)
Subjects:
Church buildings
Historic buildings
National Register of Historic Places