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California Heritage Council honors St. John’s Episcopal Church for historic restoration, preservation
LAKEPORT, Calif. – St. John’s Episcopal Church earned an Award of Recognition for its restoration and preservation by the California Heritage Council, California Trust for Historic Preservation (CHC).
The award was be presented at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco last Thursday, June 28.
Other 2012 honorees are Edgehill Mansion a.k.a. Dominican Heritage & Alumni House, San Rafael; the Leland Stanford Mansion (interior), Sacramento; Luther Burbank Home & Garden Center, Santa Rosa; Murphy Windmill, San Francisco; and a 1934 Packard custom Dietrich convertible, Morgan Hill.
“The California Heritage Council is dedicated to preserving and honoring places and buildings which have given quality and distinction to the cultural life of California,” said President Christopher Layton of Calistoga.
St. John’s was nominated by CHC Lake County representatives Lynne and Bernie Butcher of Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake. Tallman Hotel earned the award in 2007.
Parish Priest Fr. Leo M. Joseph, O.S.F., of Kelseyville, and Senior Warden Barbara Knight and Vestry member Anne Barquist of Lakeport traveled to San Francisco to accept the award.
St. John’s building was recognized as a point of historical interest in Lake County by the State of California Historical Resources Commission in 1989.
Although the property, with its historic building, is owned by the parish and held in trust for the Diocese of Northern California and The Episcopal Church, it is solely maintained by the generous support of local parishioners and friends of the parish with annual pledges and proceeds of the thrift shop, St. John’s Basement Boutique.
Through the Collier family roots in San Francisco, Mary Blackwood Collier commissioned brilliant young architect, Willis Polk, who a decade later was a chief rebuilder of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fire.
Since most of Lake County Episcopalians at that time were of English stock, Polk designed what he called an “English country church” in native redwood, which local residents called a “miniature cathedral.”
The church is a wood-framed, shingled exterior is a unique expression of 19th century carpenter Gothic style.
The lych gate was designed by Richard Duce, a retired set designer from a major Hollywood studio. The gate is patterned after the one at Saint Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church in San Francisco.
The pews are made of solid redwood planks. The redwood burl altar table is original, as are the baptismal font and brass lectern.
The altar cross is a hand-painted replica of the San Damiano Cross, beloved by St. Francis of Assisi.
The two stained glass windows on either side of the altar, depicting the Christ Child and St. John the Baptist as a young boy, are typical of the late Victorian era.
The most recent additions to the church are hand-painted icons of Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist and St. George, located on either side of the sanctuary arch. They were transferred to St. John’s from the chapel at Little Portion Hermitage, Kelseyville.
There are eight amber-leaded glass windows along both sides of the church, which have a Venetian Gothic arch-shaped frame popular in 14th century England.
The beautiful stained glass window depicting the Good Shepherd and symbols of the Four Evangelists at the west front of the church was created in 1965 by Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco.
The presence and ministry of The Episcopal Church in Lake County since 1877, St. John’s is a visible, welcoming family of Christ, resolved to deepen the relationship with God.
All are welcome at St. John’s Episcopal Church Sunday services at 10 a.m., 1190 N. Forbes Street, Lakeport.
Visit the church’s Web site at www.saintjohnslakeport.org .