Ryan Wisniewski
Grace Episcopal Church
Grace Episcopal Church
116 W. Washington Ave.
The congregation's roots go back to 1838, one year after settlement. A chapel was built in the current courtyard in 1850. The foundation for the graceful Gothic Revival church was laid in 1855, and main portions of the building were completed in 1858. It is the oldest building on the Capitol Square. Owing to its elevated location on the corner with West Washington Avenue, Grace Episcopal is easily spotted on the Madison skyline from across Lake Monona.
It was designed by Milwaukee architect James Douglas, and features massive blocks of tooled native sandstone provided -- as at Holy Redeemer -- by James Livesey. It was the habit of most early congregations to wait and erect spires after building costs were paid off. Grace's octagonal spire was completed in 1870.
