Over $160,000 raised for Christ Episcopal Church Old Frontenac Restoration

by Brad Stone

In 1868, after the Civil War, General Nathaniel McLean returned home to Frontenac, Minnesota where he built Christ Episcopal Church.  He enlisted the help of master builder Henry Huneke and, with a team of immigrant craftsmen, constructed the church that still stands atop a hill at the western entrance of the town.

Christ Church is an active Episcopal congregation in southeastern Minnesota, 10 miles south of Red Wing, on the shores of Lake Pepin.  There are 25 families who actively participate in Sunday morning worship and the sanctuary serves as the only public meeting place for the broader community of Frontenac.  The church is a major asset of the Frontenac Historical District and is listed on the National Historic Registry.

Christ Episcopal Church will celebrate its 150th birthday in 2018.  A group of church members and community residents called the Preservation Partners are restoring the historic structure while remaining faithful to its original design.

The project has five phases designed to complete the restoration in manageable steps leading up to the sesquicentennial celebration.  Phase 1 was recently completed giving the church a new cedar shake roof using materials identical to those used in 1868.

Phase 2 will replace the exterior siding, and restore the beautiful stained glass windows. Phases 3through 6 will include improvements on the interior of the sanctuary, the grounds, and the adjacent parish hall.

The estimated cost of the project is $300,000.  So far, over $160,000 has been raised.  Fundraising efforts include membership pledges, seeking individual contributions, applying for grants, garage sales, and offering a variety of products for sale which exclusively benefit Christ Church. These products include limited edition prints of a stunning watercolor painting of the church painted by a local artist.

Please visit our website at www.christchurcholdfrontenac.org for a complete list of our products, fund raising activities, restoration details, funding and restoration progress, and to learn how to contribute.