Saint Mark's Episcopal
 

Bishop Leonidas Polk visited Shreveport in 1839 and held the first religious service downtown. ¹  Although Rev. William Steele worked in Caddo Parish as traveling minister, there was no permanent congregation in the Shreveport until 1845. Small services were held in the courthouse until lands on the corner of Market and Fannin Streets were donated by Pauline Pickett in 1859. The Civil War interrupted the construction, but the work was completed by volunteers under the supervision of Rev. A. B. Russell. ² They dedicated their first building on April 10, 1861. ³ The congregation was known as Grace Church, but the name was changed to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in 1851.⁴ Under Rev. Joseph H. Spearing the congregation moved into the new church on the corner of Texas and Cotton Streets, where the Church of the Holy Cross is presently located.⁵

The church was rebuilt after a fire on December of 1918, which had left only a shell. The congregation was able to rebuild the church for about $100,000. Eight years later a large residence and 170 feet of property were bought for $85,000 for use as a parish house.⁶

Rev. Frank E. Walters was pastor when the church began to build on its present site. In April of 1946 John D. Ewing, N. Hobson Wheless, Charten H. Lyons, and J. P. Evans gave the land where the present church now stands. Architects William C. Gilmer and Jack Annan designed the Norman Gothic structure, which was built in 1952.  The first story contains a library, the vesting room, a kindergarten room, a rehearsal room for the choir, and an office for the assistant music director. The second floor contains the auditorium, a kitchen, and church offices. The top floor contains church school classrooms.  The original fixtures were moved to the new church.  The church has hand wrought Swedish iron light fixtures, a hand carved altar, and a rose window. The tower rises to a height of 100 feet and contains classrooms and a library.⁷ The church was wired for telecasting, a loud speaker system, and a movie projector.⁸  It also had a heating and cooling system installed that operated from beneath the floors. ⁹ The sanctuary is able to seat 1,200 people.¹⁰

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Parish of Caddo 2004©