Rev. Thomas Cook built Summit’s first church, the Calvary Episcopal Church (a simple wooden structure), with his own hands in 1872 to serve the growing congregation of Episcopalians from New York who used Summit as a summer retreat. Located at 472 Springfield Avenue (roughly, the present-day location of the entrance and exits to the downtown parking garage), it operated as the main church for the congregation until January, 1893, when it burned to the ground when remaining Christmas greenery caught fire while the gas lamps were being lit for Sunday service. The congregation rebuilt the church in 1896, which stands today at the corner of Deforest and Woodland
Summit’s First Church
Rev. Thomas Cook built Summit’s first church, the Calvary Episcopal Church (a simple wooden structure), with his own hands in 1872 to serve the growing congregation of Episcopalians from New York who used Summit as a summer retreat. Located at 472 Springfield Avenue (roughly, the present-day location of the entrance and exits to the downtown parking garage), it operated as the main church for the congregation until January, 1893, when it burned to the ground when remaining Christmas greenery caught fire while the gas lamps were being lit for Sunday service. The congregation rebuilt the church in 1896, which stands today at the corner of Deforest and Woodland