Status: Preserved
Address: 555 Vance Avenue, Memphis
Built: 1896, 1905-06, ca. 1948
Architectural Style: Gothic Revival and Modernist
Original Function/Purpose: Church
History: Grace Episcopal Church was the city’s second Episcopal congregation after Calvary Episcopal. The church was designed by James B. Cook and built in stages to accommodate the construction budget. First came the small 1896 chapel that faces S. Lauderdale St. and to this was added the 1905-06 sanctuary that faces Vance (pictured). Additions have taken place from time to time, including the 1988 Sunday School building at the rear of the church, but overall the sanctuary looks much as it did in 1906. One exception is the absence of three Tiffany Studio windows that were removed and re-installed in the sanctuary of Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Peabody Avenue, after Grace Episcopal merged with St. Luke’s. In 1938 church leaders sold the Vance property to Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, which has been a cornerstone of the community ever since.
City Council District: 6
Super District: 8
County Commission District: 8