At the intersection of religious and civic history, historical markers commemorate the role of our faith ancestors in the shaping of our cities. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
St. Thomas Episcopal Church celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. On Sunday, the Ohio History Connection recognized the church’s Ogilvy Chapel by placing an official Ohio Historical Marker on the front lawn.
Mary Manning of the Ohio History Connection, formerly the Ohio Historical Society, said Ogilvy Chapel, the original portion of St. Thomas’, was a significant contribution to the history of Ohio. The marker is the 122nd placed in Cuyahoga County and comes after months of research and documentation by a team of church members and architect Ken Martin. …
“This church is my most special building in Berea,” Martin said. He said the architecture is very similar to that used between 500 and 1150 A.D. in Anglo-Saxon and Norman structures in England.
In fact, St. Thomas Episcopal Church was founded in 1864 by immigrants from England, Scotland and Ireland. A Celtic cross on top of the west wall represents the areas of Great Britain from which the founders came.
The dedication ceremony included proclamations from Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem and state Sen. Tom Patton. The marker was unveiled with the help of David Zambounis, an acolyte and fifth generation St. Thomas member, and Christopher Phelps, a sixth generation member.
Photo via St Thomas, Berea on Facebook. Read the story behind the chapel and see more pictures from the Cleveland Plain Dealer here.