St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is located in the beautiful historic mining district of Cripple Creek. All of the buttons and banners on this site are made with images shot with a digital camera of the stained glass at St.Andrews Church.

The first Episcopal service in Cripple Creek was held on December 15, 1892, in Shields Hall, upstairs over the Arcade Saloon. 13 people, The Rev. Amos Watkins officiating, attended it. This event encouraged some of the faithful to meet again and to organize the small group into the St.Andrew's Mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. As the rush for gold continued, more and more people flocked into the camp from all over the country, some of them from the east coast, others from England who brought their Anglican root with them.

St. Andrew's interior in circa 1901.

Soon a full time priest, the Rev. Charles Grimes, was assigned to serve the new mission. Funds were raised to acquire the land at Carr Avenue and Fourth Street on which the church still stands. On November 26,1893, services were held in the new little brick church, the first Protestant church building in Cripple Creek. Disaster struck in the spring of 1896 when a fire started in a dance hall on Myers Avenue, rapidly spreading to consume the entire northwest section of the city, including St.Andrew's Church. By great good fortune, the church had been insured, so without delay and some additional fund raising, the present church
rose from the ashes.

St. Andrew's Church built in 1892, burned down in the fire of 1896 and rebuilt in 1897.

As mining prospered and expanded the roster of communicants increased under the ministry of Father Grimes. In 1901, 175 communicants were registered, the largest ever listed in St. Andrew's register. Among the early ones was the prominent Drew. F. Hassenplug, who with his wife made important contributions to the early life of the church. Records indicated that Miss Ethel Frizzell was received into the church before her marriage to A.E. "Bert" Carlton, financer, banker, and leading businessman. For many years they lived over the First National Bank where they entertained the great of the state, nation and the world. Those were high and heady days, but over the years world events (including two World Wars), gold prices and politics brought radical fluctuations to the fortunes of the camp. The economy of the District was severely injured by the closing of the mines by a government order during World War Two, but the loyal few, many of them women of the church, carried on and helped to keep the mission alive. At one point, the treasurer reported a month with only $16.00 income except the pledge of Ethel Carlton for that month. Mrs. Carlton continued to send her pledge throughout her life, even long after she moved to Colorado Springs. For over fifty years she was the most consistent
supporter. During most years St. Andrew's has been blessed with the services of a full time priest. At other times a priest has shared the duties at St. Andrew's while also serving another congregation in nearby towns. Occasionally only supply priests have braved all kinds of weather to bring the Holy Eucharist to St. Andrew's on Sundays and Holy Days.

St. Andrews has been blessed with other dedicated priests over the past ten years; among them Rev. Ann J. Nelson, Fr. John Pahls, Fr.Warren Fry, and Fr. Gary Horle. Today we are blessed with the ministry of Father Todd Sermon. He lives in Laramie, Wyoming but commutes to Cripple Creek for four days a week. He was installed as our Rector in August of 2000. Now another big change has come to town with the advent of legalized gambling in October of 1991, presenting new challenges to the church and her people. St. Andrew's continues her faithful service to the community. Through all the over 100 years of her existence, in times of prosperity or pain, the Holy Spirit has watched over her. Through the best and leanest of times, the doors have never been closed or services entirely suspended. In November of 1995 St.Andrews was returned to parish status and is in a new growth phase. Two books have been written chronicling St. Andrew's history from the earliest years. One by Hazel Bunker was published in 1960. It recounts story and names of persons, both lay and clergy, who have served this church. The second by Dorothy Mackin brings the history up to the time of its publication in 1985. It also explains the Christian symbolism used in the creation of the stained glass memorial windows and lists the gifts and donors of many of the other furnishings in the Church.

We the people of St.Andrew's bid you welcome and hope that you will share with us the enduring beauty and spirit of this historic church.