Each Monday we share a vintage image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. Take a look at this old postcard. Do you recognize the church photographed? When go you think it was taken? What is different in the photo compared to today?
This photo is of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Essex, NY as the title tells you if you couldn’t recognize it. This church has served the community since the first half of the 19th century.
Here are some memories shared by the community about the church, and some of its history was noted along with identifying changes made since the photo was taken:
Lorraine Townsend Faherty: Built as school house by Henry Ross of Hickory Hill as a schoolhouse for his children. Moved and became church by him also. Note Elm trees gone to disease. Addition of social hall and, recently, made accessible to all. Henry was my great great grandfather.
Stephen Noble: Got married here in the newer version!
Betsy Oliver Eads: I remember it well, all eight of us kids would be round up and off to St Johns we would go. I think the Shermans from Westport and the Oliver crew from Willsboro out numbered the rest of the church members. So glad they put the addition on and added handicap access. I miss my childhood church and visit whenever we are home from Texas.
Judy Koenig: The church added Handicapped access
Learn more about the St. John’s history here. Here is the church’s website if you want to learn more about its activity nowadays: www.stjohnsessexny.com.
Share Your Essex Artifacts
If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [at] essexonlakechamplain [dot] com.
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- Vintage Postcard: The Ross Mansion, Essex, NY (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Vintage Photo: Essex Waterfront (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Vintage Postcard: St. John’s Church (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Vintage Photo: St. Joseph’s Church (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Vintage Photo: South Farm (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Carol Calhoun says
My first not-quite memory of St. John’s was of spending a summer in utero in the rectory, followed by a few more before my parents, Don and Dorothy Large, bought a “Bittersweet” at the Crater Club. A few years ago I had the privilege of designing with a Westport glass artist the window in St. John’s narthex (entrance) and giving it in thanksgiving for the life and ministry of my father, The Rev. John Ellis Large, DD.