History of Saint James Episcopal Church
Built in 1895
St. James Episcopal Church has stood on the corner of North 3rd East and American Legion Boulevard for over 100 years. The original wooden structure burned completely to the ground in 1895, despite heroic efforts of the local citizens who tried to stop its destruction with a bucket brigade. The cornerstone of the historical church building was laid on October 1, 1895; the cost of the church was $1565.00 - $500.00 was a personal gift from Bishop Talbot; he also loaned the mission $750.00 and the balance of the cost was raised locally. The first service was held on January 15, 1896.
St. James Episcopal Church has been one of the most permanent land marks in Mountain Home. Its historical church building is the oldest public building in the town and has served as a place for countless numbers of weddings, baptisms, funerals, celebrations and meetings of all kinds, touching the lives of almost every resident of Mountain Home. The names in the church's registry has read like a list of the founding fathers and mothers of Mountain Home.
The historical building has its beginnings in the Turner brickyard and was totally built with local labor. The windows in the building are true stained glass. The process of staining the glass is no longer used so that each piece is now almost irreplaceable. The structure is a fine example of Western Gothic if one would allow such an artificial designation. It does help to show that even in a time of emerging from the "uncivilized west", grace and charm were foremost in the minds of those who were responsible for its design and construction.
