St. John's-In-The-Prairie, Episcopal church building in Forkland, Alabama.
St. John's-In-The-Prairie is a church building in Forkland, Alabama, displaying Gothic Revival architecture with tall pointed windows, wooden walls, and a steeply pitched roof. The simple wooden structure features classic elements of this style, with vertical lines and details that draw the eye upward.
Richard Upjohn designed this church in 1859 during a period of Episcopal expansion in Alabama before the Civil War. The building was moved across the Black Warrior River in 1878 to reach its present location.
The church reflects how denominations shifted in post-Civil War Alabama, with the Episcopal congregation taking root in a community that had known different religious traditions before.
The National Register listing gives the building federal protection and makes it eligible for preservation grants and technical support. Visitors should check locally about access, as this is an active place of worship with limited public visiting hours.
The building was physically transported across the Black Warrior River, an unusual feat for such a large wooden structure in the 1800s. This move makes it a remarkable example of practical engineering and determination in a frontier region.
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