St. Paul’s Durant – A Brief History
St. Paul’s has been a congregation in the town of Durant for nearly 150 years. The first religious service of any kind recorded in Durant was held by the Rt. Rev’d Henry Washington Lee, first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. On the 5th Sunday in Lent, 1856, Bishop Lee made his initial visitation, preaching Morning and Evening Prayer in the Rock Island depot, then the community center of the rapidly growing village. Boxes of freight containing champagne formed the pulpit, altar, and pews for the members of the congregation.
Some of the earliest settlers of Durant were a group of Episcopalians from St. Paul’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut. One of these pioneers was Mr. H. S. Downs, the first station agent in the town. Mr. Downs was responsible for lending the station as space for the first divine service in Durant.
The first meeting of St. Paul’s Vestry was held on March 27, 1856, in the Hotel. At that meeting, Mr. Joseph Weaver, chair of the committee, announced the donation of land by Mr. George Sargent and wife of Davenport to St. Paul’s Church. The name of the new congregation was an obvious choice, calling to mind their home parish in Connecticut. A motion was made at that first meeting to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of building a church – Messrs. Downs, Weaver, and Bills formed the committee. Dr. Bills was a Yale-educated physician, the town’s first doctor. The group also resolved to send a letter to St. Paul’s in New Haven, asking for their sympathy and aid. In 1874, the Sunday School class of St. Paul’s in Connecticut gave the gift of a bell to the church; the bell continues in use to this day.
In May 1895, the congregation of St. Paul’s purchased the current church building (built in 1856) from the Congregationalist Church. Also in 1895, the Parish Hall that sits at the corner of 6th Avenue and 3rd Street was built by the men of the parish. The Parish Hall has served over the years as a Sunday School room and community reading room.
From 1925 until 1944, the parish was closed for lack of funds. Committed townsfolk from Durant and parishioners from Trinity Cathedral in Davenport made sure that the building and grounds were maintained during this interim time. Services were read on occasion to keep the house of worship alive.
Over the years, changes have been made to keep pace with the needs of the parish. In 1950, the undercroft was built under the church building. In 1978, the bell tower was restored. In 1985, the church and parish hall were added to the National Registry of Historic Places. In 1986, an historic George Kilgen pipe organ built in 1879 was restored and placed in the church. In 2002, a vertical platform lift was added to the church for accessibility. In 2004, the congregation was granted parish status at the annual diocesan convention. And in 2004, the parish joined the Anglican Communion Network. In 2006, St. Paul’s celebrated 150 years of service and mission.
St. Paul’s continues to grow, just as the town of Durant is growing. We are looking to the future and celebrating our past. Come and join us for worship and fellowship when your travels bring you to our wonderful community.
