Christ Episcopal Church, also known as Christ Church; Big Stone Gap, is a historic Episcopal

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * C ...

located at 100 Clinton Avenue in

Big Stone Gap Big Stone Gap is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States. The town was economically centered around the coal industry for much of its early development. The population was 5,643 at the 2010 census. History The community was formerly kno ...

Wise County, Virginia Wise County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county was formed in 1856 from Lee, Scott, and Russell Counties and named for Henry A. Wise, who was the Governor of Virginia at the time. History The Cherokee conquered the ...

. It was built in 1892, and is a

cruciform Cruciform is a term for physical manifestations resembling a common cross or Christian cross. The label can be extended to architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly describe ...

frame church. It is covered with weatherboard and the hipped roof has asphalt shingles. The interior features

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

style details. an
''Accompanying photo''
/ref> Christ Church was organized as a congregation in October 1890 and is one of the oldest in this area. Designed by T. Buckler Chequior of Baltimore, construction of the building began in March 1892 at a cost of $2300. The church was consecrated on May 7, 1892. Red barn paint was donated by J. K. Taggart, whose family still supplies the distinctive red color. The altar was donated by the Nelson family from a mid-nineteenth century church in Restburg, VA. In 1915, the choir room in the southwest corner was added for $91. The second room was added in 1917. In 1942, the sanctuary and porch were enlarged, and the Parish Hall was built in 1964. In 1987, the prayer rails were made from the original altar rails by J. Phelps Walker of Richmond, VA, father of Paxton Allgyer and given in memory of her mother, Josephine K. Walker. The chairs at the altar were given in memory of Margaret and Randolph Parker by their daughter, Emily Kendig of Richmond, VA. The vigil candles were given by Joan Short in memory of her parents, Abner and Madeline Boyd and in honor of the Canon 9 ministry of Rev. Ray Moore. The antique-cabinet above the vigil candles is from a British Anglican church and was donated by Pat Miller and Bill Miller of Abingdon. The Aumbry was donated by the Rev. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Wheless, Jr. Designated a Virginia Historic Landmark on April 18, 1989, Christ Church was subsequently listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1990.

References

External links

Christ Episcopal Church website
Carpenter Gothic church buildings in Virginia Churches completed in 1892 19th-century Episcopal church buildings Churches in Wise County, Virginia Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Episcopal churches in Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Wise County, Virginia {{Virginia-church-stub