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St. Stephen's
Episcopal Church, a parish of the Diocese of Atlanta, was organized in 1841
through the efforts of Bishop Stephen Elliot. Although Milledgeville had
been the capitol of Georgia for more than forty years, no attempt had ever
been made to establish the church within its limits prior to the Bishop's
successful efforts. St. Stephen's was consecrated December 10, 1843. The
church started with six members and during the period up until 1861, the
membership fluctuated between 11 and 21. In 1863, the communicant list rose
to 40, due to the presence of Civil War refugees from the coast. By 1864,
the communicant list had reached 60. During this time, St. Stephen's priests
generally stayed for short periods of time and supplemented their income
with other jobs.
Federal soldiers, billeted in the church during the cold November weather of
1864, damaged the interior of the building and the church organ. The church
was rebuilt extensively after a nearby arsenal explosion damaged the old
flat roof structure. In the 1880's, the Georgian roof and narthex were
added, as was the hand-carved chancel furniture crafted by Captain John
Wilcox. The beaded board interior is enhanced by light streaming through the
magnificent stained glass windows. The altar windows were a gift of Christ
Church in Savannah.
A new parish hall was dedicated in 1970, it's
modern design echoing the Carpenter Gothic character of the church. In 1990,
Warden's Hall was completed, providing additional classroom and meeting
space.
Today, St. Stephen's is home to 423 members, representing 210 households.
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