Right Oblique

The oldest church in Ridgeway, and the oldest public building in the area, St. Stephen’s (ca. 1854) is a gem of modified Gothic Revival architecture. The church features a steep flared gabled roof with a rose window in the gable. The front entrance is on the west end with double doors. A steep gabled pavilion with double doors is on the south side. The exterior was originally of pine, painted maroon. Around 1920, the church was brick veneered. A wing, containing the parish house and church school, was added in the 1940s. The pine interior is given a finish, which is rare, described as a “lost art.” It was stained or painted in natural brown (pine-like) and while the pain or varnish was still wet, rubbed vertically with heavy burlap bagging, giving the wood a “natural finish” of wood grain appearance. The sanctuary furnishings are mahogany. Windows were originally of clear glass, papered with a stained-glass-like paper. In 1949 stained glass windows designed and made by the Payne Studios of Patterson, NJ were installed. The church has been in continuous use. The grounds include a well-kept cemetery with tombstones bearing the names of builders and early families. A handsome wrought-iron fence and gateway encloses the churchyard. Listed in the National Register May 6, 1971.

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