History of St. Peter's
An Overview of Our History
On May 12, 1851, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church was organized at a meeting held in the Lafayette County Courthouse. Services were conducted by the Rt. Rev. William Mercer Green, the first Bishop of Mississippi. The Rev. Professor Frederick A.P. Barnard, originally a faculty member at the University of Mississippi and later its Chancellor, was the first resident clergyman. During Barnard’s tenure the present church was built, following the general designs of famed 19th century church architect, Richard Upjohn. The building was completed in 1860 and the first services were held Easter Sunday, April 8, 1860. It is the oldest religious structure in Oxford, having survived the burning of the town during the Civil War.
The church was placed on mission status in 1923 and did not become a parish until 1962. During 1962, the church and the University experienced a major crisis when the first African American student was admitted to the University. St. Peter’s took a leadership role during that crisis and from that time forward became known for its involvement in community affairs, fostering such programs as Head Start, Habitat for Humanity, a county day-care for the mentally and physically challenged, the Leap Frog Tutorial Program for “at-risk” children, and a Prodigal Ministry with Second Baptist Church.
St. Peter’s was designated a national historical site in 1975, and in 1976, the state of Mississippi erected an historical marker on church property to denote the church’s historical significance.
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