St. John's Episcopal Church
~161 Park Street, Highgate, VT 05459~

St. John's, which is under the faithful care of Holy Trinity, is a seasonal church without its own separate congregation. The Rector of Holy Trinity also serves as the Vicar of St. John's. Because of its role in our history, St. John's is known as the "Mother Church" of Holy Trinity.

Before its use was interrupted by the pandemic and by the need for a new roof, it was our custom to hold two services annually at St. John's: one in midsummer ("Red, White and Blue Sunday" with strawberry and blueberry treats at coffee hour), and the other in the fall ("Apple Harvest Sunday" with apple delights). In 2022, a "Pre-Christmas Eve Candlelight Service" with hot mulled cider and cakes was well attended by folks from communities in the area.

This historical church building is presently under renovation of a new roof and interior painting, with window restoration to follow. Thereafter, we hope to use St. John's again for special services, weddings, concerts, and other events in the spring, summer, and fall, as we had done in the past.

St. John's Church was built in 1829-1830 by Joel Whitney of Enosburg. In 1835, the chancel and vestry room were added through the generosity of S. W. and S. S. Keys. In 1836, the church was presented with a bell, a font of Italian marble, a silver communion service and books for the altar, and lectern and pulpit by the Hon. Heman Allen, a son of Heber Allen, nephew of Ethan and adopted son of Ira. You can find more history here.

Per Linda Maloney: "In my biography of Commodore Isaac Hull, I wrote about Heman Allen. He was appointed minister to Chile in 1824, and before embarking for his post, he met and married Elizabeth Hart, a younger sister of Hull's wife; she accompanied him to Chile (Mrs. Hull was also on the voyage.) They returned in 1827 and settled in Colchester, where Elizabeth Allen died young in 1834. (Heman Allen was president of the Burlington branch of the U. S. Bank in Burlington till it closed in 1836.) It's possible that Heman Allen's donations to St. John's were in memory of his late wife--since Allen did not remarry till 1844--and it's also possible that some of them (the silver service, perhaps?) had been brought from South America."

The organ was built by Henry Erben of New York City in 1836. It has the distinction of being the oldest unaltered pipe organ in Vermont in its original location. It was designed to make the most of just three stops: an 8' Stopped Diapason, a 4' Principal, and an 8' Trumpet. Using the organ requires an assistant to hand pump the lever that operates the bellows, to the delight of younger members of the parish who often do the pumping.

The building is conventional classic in form yet gothic in its pointed windows. The palladian window over the front door is a variation of many others found in Vermont.

The church was consecrated and dedicated to St. John the Apostle by Bishop John H. Hopkins, Bishop of Vermont, on May 21, 1834. St. John's Church had a resident rector until 1896 when it joined with Holy Trinity Church, Swanton.

Directions: From Swanton take Rte. 78E 4.3 miles to right onto Highgate Road/Rte. 207 for about a half mile, the church is on the left around a small park. From St. Albans take Rte. 7 to the interstate access exit 20, turn onto Rte. 207N for about seven miles to the church on the right of a small park.

An old St. John's Facebook page.