Here you are, standing before St. John’s Episcopal Church-the oldest church still standing in Butte, and one of the oldest in all of Montana! Built from sturdy Butte granite, this building has been through more drama than a soap opera. It actually predates St. Patrick’s Church by a whole year-talk about bragging rights at church picnics! Just a block north is the famous Copper King W.A. Clark’s mansion, and it’s no coincidence-Clark had deep ties here.
Now, in 1918, a fire gutted the interior. Picture parishioners squeezed into the parish hall for years, probably eyeing each other’s hats and wondering when they’d return to the main church. Restoration took over a decade, with the centerpiece being a stunning stained-glass window by Pompeo Bertini-the famed artist from Milan’s Cathedral. The window is dedicated to Clark’s little daughter Jessie, who sadly passed away before turning three. Her twin sister and brother made sure her memory still shines in the sunlight every day.
Notice the unique stained glass? J&R Lamb Studios added mining motifs-because in Butte, mining is a leap of faith all its own. And the 737-pipe organ? It’s given Sunday services the dramatic soundtrack they deserve for decades. St. John’s continues its caring mission, from prayer shawls to helping neighbors-living proof that old stones can have a big, generous heart.
