History

We are the oldest Episcopal Church in Arizona, and our building is the oldest Protestant church building in the state. Our first service was held on June 18, 1882, and we have conducted services every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. for more than 140 years. St. Paul’s is the original setting for Anglican worship in the Old Wild West of Arizona’s desert frontier. Thus, in like character of Tombstone our community, we aim to preserve this heritage and our unique church culture as old-fashioned Christians for future generations to enjoy like a time capsule from the past.

The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. It is the only Gothic Revival adobe church in the world — built of hand-formed, sun-dried 16″ adobe bricks, covered with stucco against the monsoon rains. The massive roof beams were brought by oxcart from the Chiracahua mountains, 20 miles away. The overhead lamps came around Cape Horn on a sailing ship. Over the last ten years, we have restored the original Belgian stained-glass windows, installed a new roof, and beautiful new front doors. As of the start of 2020, the church is in good shape — along with our grounds, next-door rental house, and the 1928 Rectory.  Unique — an 1880s small line shack, preserved in remembrance of Tombstone’s historic and colorful past.

Young seminarian Endicott Peabody raised the money to start construction of our building… also with help from the mine owners and miners, store owners, and gamblers like Wyatt Earp and his friends. Earp left Tombstone before the first service in June 1882, but he continued to correspond with Mr. Peabody over the following years. The Rev. Peabody went back to Massachusetts after the construction of the church was completed. He founded the prestigious Groton School, teaching many future leaders of America, and also married Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, and was friends with Winston Churchill.

Our small congregation is made up of Episcopalians and believers from other denominational backgrounds who live both in Tombstone and the surrounding area. We have an energetic new Vicar, Mr. Saare, a traditional churchman and Army Chaplain at nearby Fort Huachuca. In 2017, the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona passed the Tombstone Resolution, assuring support for St. Paul’s in the years to come. In 2018, we celebrated our 135th anniversary on this windswept mesa, with best wishes from the Bishop for St. Paul’s to grow and thrive in the years to come.