First Eureka Springs Church
 
The congregation of St. James' Church was the first church congregation to be organized in Eureka Springs--just two years after the town of Eureka Springs was incorporated in 1880.  The organization occurred through the efforts of the Reverend J. J. Vaulx of Fayetteville, Arkansas, who held services once a month for several years.  During this period, a frame chapel was built on Mountain Street.  The regular organization was effected on September 15, 1887.  The Rev. D. S. C. M. Potter, D. D., assumed charge of St. James on December 14, 1887.

From Classroom to Nave

In January 1889, when the new brick schoolhouse was built, St. James' parish received the old Cromer school building, which became the present-day home of St. James' congregation.  The building was remodeled and became the congregation's permanent home.  During this time, the city was at the height of prosperity, and St. James was a thriving parish.  St. James' Church was formally consecrated on Holy Innocents Day 1913.

Hard Times

The town declined in population after the First World War and regular services at St. James' declined with it.  With no resident priest and no regular services, the church deteriorated until 1946.  In 1947, a handful of faithful Episcopalians, many of whom had recently moved to Eureka Springs, gave time, talent, and treasure to recondition the dilapidated church.  In 1948, the diocese instituted a resident priest at St. James.

Devastation and Renewal

On August 24, 1962, a disastrous fire ravaged the church, destroying the pipe organ (the second oldest in Arkansas), the rood screen, a portion of the building, and most of the furnishings.  Fortunately, insurance partially covered the loss.  On September 12, 1962, the congregation decided to rebuild the church and held services at a temporary chapel at Lake Lucerne.  On Easter Day, April 14, 1963, the congregation held its first service in the renovated church.

Church Improvements

The church building was enlarged in 1983 with a larger sacristy and an undercroft kitchen.  The Lane House, also called St. James' House, returned to administrative offices in 2004.  The parish received this house as a gift in the 1960s and used it for youth outreach for many years.  The gardens have been maintained and improved several times over the last 50 years.

  The congregation has weathered many challenges in the past decade, including a pandemic.  We continue to serve the community by hosting an annual Silver Tea at the Crescent Hotel.  We continue to feed the community with Sunday Suppers throughout the Winter months.  Many of our members gladly volunteer around the area to take the Gospel out beyond our walls and famous red doors.   This is a small community that strives to follow the Gospel's challenge beyond our red doors and into the community.  We are a small family church that knows the power of Jesus' love and salvation for each of us.

On Monday, June 26, 2023, around 2:30 AM, a concerned worker leaving the Crescent Hotel called in an early-morning fire.  Fire Trucks from Eureka Springs, Inspiration Point, Holiday Island, and Berryville rushed to the scene and found the church interior engulfed in flames.  The building's interior and a significant portion of the bell tower have been lost.  Many area churches and businesses reached out to offer us a temporary home.  St. James accepted the invitation to meet at St. Elizabeth Parish Center in the coming months as we plan our next steps.  We are learning that the church is its people.  May God guide us as we move forward to Love God and our neighbors... no exceptions.  

We returned to our restored and resurrected building on Christmas Eve, 2025.  We are now blessed with a renewed and beautiful space.  We continue to work to add gutters, a ramp, and a chairlift in 2026.  We are still praying for a pipe organ to replace the one we lost.  Some organs have been offered to us but they tend to be too large.  After 2.5 years away from our building, we're grateful to be home.    Hopefully, if you read this, you might be more aware that this place of prayer is open to you.  Come and be part of our history.