Our History

Emmanuel was founded in 1893 by 80 members of Staunton’s Trinity Episcopal Church who set out to start new church. Meeting initially at the YMCA building on Beverley Street, the new congregation called a rector, the Rev. Robert Carter Jett, and began raising funds to build a church. 

 

Construction started in May 1894 on property donated by founding members at the corner of North Washington and West Frederick streets. Architect T.J. Collins, who designed more than 200 buildings in Staunton, drew the plans for a Victorian Gothic church. Its first worship service was in September 1894.

 

Initially the church faced south. In 1902 it was expanded, remodeled and reoriented to face west, and a vaulted ceiling was built over the raised chancel. The parish hall was added in 1929.