Grace Episcopal Church

Under Criterion C of the National Register Criteria, Grace Episcopal Church is significant in the area of architecture, because it is a good example of the English Gothic Revival style as commonly used by Episcopalians in the state. It is the oldest extant church building in Huron, South Dakota. Under the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Plan the property relates to the historic context labeled: IV. Permanent Rural and Urban Pioneer Settlement, H. Religion.

Most Episcopal churches erected in South Dakota before 1945 have distinctive characteristics that make them "recognizably 'Episcopal'". These buildings are deeply rooted in the English Gothic Revival tradition, being rectangular nave-plan forms with steeply pitched gable roofs, polygonal apses, thin lancet arch windows, and exposed ceiling beams and rafters. The earliest examples in the state were constructed of board-and-batten walls; however, very few of these wood-frame Episcopal churches survive today. Masonry examples, such as the Grace Church, feature polychromic walls of native materials. Unlike Catholic or many other Protestant facilities, these churches very seldom include a bell tower and generally lack any non-structural ornament. As a rule, the style emphasizes mass and structure rather than ecclesiastical ornamentation. Grace Episcopal Church exemplifies these traditions.

Beadle County, lying in the flat plain of the James River valley, was created in 1879 and officially organized a year later. Huron, the county seat, was established by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad in 1879 and 1880 to serve as a hub for its expansive network in Dakota Territory. The city, which is located on the west bank of the James River, was incorporated in 1883. It quickly grew to be a major commercial and transportation center for the surrounding farming community. Huron was also a formidable candidate for the state capital and became embroiled in several costly campaigns for that position, which eventually left the community financially hard shipped but without the desired prize. Nevertheless, the city persevered. One of its greatest attractions has been the annual State Fair which brings in thousands of vendors and patrons from across the Midwest.

In the fall of 1881, a small group of Episcopalians formed a Huron congregation and built a wood-frame church at the corner of Fourth and Kansas streets. It was the first church building in the city. In 1887, they sold that building to a local Lutheran congregation and moved it to another location. On the original site, then, the Episcopalians erected a permanent structure of stone masonry construction. Glacial field stones were carried in from the nearby farm of parishioner Charles May and were then cut and laid by skilled masons. Church member and local businessman R. S. Campbell brought the plans for the church from his native home of Springfield, Illinois.

The congregation worshiped there until 1964 when it built a new edifice at Sixteenth Street and McClellan Drive. Original stained glass windows were removed at that time and shards from them were incorporated into windows in the new building. In 1965, Ralph Brooks purchased the old church building and remodeled it for use as a mortuary. It functioned as Brooks Memorial Chapel until 1984 when it was sold to George Kuhler. Huron Regional Medical Center, the building's neighbor to the north, bought it in 1985 with the intention of raising it for parking space.

In response, a group of concerned citizens organized a non-profit foundation to save the building in situ. That association, known as the Centennial Stone Church Foundation, raised funds to buy the property and renovate it into a multiple-purpose community center. Work on the building included reshingling the roof, replacing window panes, cleaning the roof trusses and ceiling, painting, carpeting, installation of a restroom in the basement, and replacing the central heating and cooling systems. During 1989, it will serve as a focal point for State Centennial celebrations in Huron. The building is also open to local groups for meetings and exhibitions. A number of small permanent displays featuring local history and culture will be installed as time and funding permits.

Despite the removal of interior furnishings, the building continues to be a good representative of English Gothic Revivalism as practiced by architects of Episcopal churches in South Dakota. It confirms unequivocally to the traditional form of such edifices found throughout the state. Outstanding features in this example are the native stonework and the exquisite exposed roof trusses and ceiling.

The period of significance of the nominated property does not extend beyond its date of construction in 1887. The property derives its significance from its architectural distinction.