Cathedral Church of Saint Paul

The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, is located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 as St. Paul's Episcopal Church.HistorySt. Paul's Episcopal ChurchSt. Paul's had its beginnings on October 15, 1854 when the first service was held at Fort Des Moines for ten communicants. A brick and frame church building was completed in 1857 on Seventh Street between Locust and Walnut Streets. By 1870 the congregation decided to replace its church building and purchased the current site.The present church building was completed in 1885. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Foster & Liebbe in the Gothic Revival style. Its basement was not exposed as it is now because Ninth and High Streets were lowered at a later date. Originally the church had a wooden steeple, but it was destroyed in a storm in the 1930s. It was replaced in the 1960s by a structure with a steel core. Later the tower was strengthened when the 25-bell carillon was added. A kitchen was added below the sanctuary in 1939. The Rambusch Company redecorated the chancel in the 1940s and the current reredos was added at that time.In 1950 the parish's rector, the Rev. Gordon V. Smith, was elected the sixth Bishop of Iowa. The parish house was built in 1952. The building was designed by Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson, and Brooks Borg Architects of Des Moines. The new addition created space for classrooms, clergy and staff offices, the Guild Hall, and a chapel.