History of Churches

The Episcopal Church in Garrett County, Maryland, boasts a rich history dating back to the late 1860s. Early services were held in Oakland, then a burgeoning town, around 1869. These gatherings took place in the newly built Garrett Memorial Church, led by Reverend J.A. Tongue, an assistant rector from Cumberland. It wasn’t long before the vision for a dedicated church space grew, spearheaded by Miss Mary Tyson of Baltimore. Through her fundraising efforts, including the publication of a cookbook, funds were secured for a permanent structure.

Construction began with a generous land donation from Josias Pennington, another Baltimore resident. The resulting church, built in the Carpenter Gothic style, became a cornerstone of the Episcopal presence in Garrett County. This church, currently known as St. Matthew’s, continues to serve the community today. Interestingly, there were once missions established in nearby towns like Swanton, Altamont, Deer Park, and Grantsville, all overseen by the rector of St. Matthew’s Church. While some of these missions have closed, St. John’s in Deer Park remains another pillar of the Episcopal faith in Garrett County.

St. Matthew’s

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Oakland, Maryland boasts a rich history intertwined with the Garrett family.

The land for the church was originally chosen by Henry S. Garrett, but sadly he passed away in 1867 before construction could begin. His brother, John W. Garrett, took up the mantle and built the church in 1869 as a memorial to Henry, naming it Garrett Memorial Church. This beautiful structure, constructed entirely of stone, earned it the nickname “the stone church” – a first for Oakland at the time.

The early 20th century brought a new chapter for the church. By 1962, the building, nearly a century old, required significant renovations. Interestingly, the Presbyterian Church offered the Episcopal congregation ownership of the building. Extensive work was undertaken, and by 1966, the church reopened its doors, this time under the name St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church.

Adding to its unique history, St. Matthew’s has also earned the moniker “Church of the Presidents.” This is due to the fascinating fact that four US presidents – Ulysses S. Grant, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, and Grover Cleveland – all graced the church with their presence during visits to Garrett County.

Today, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church continues to be a vibrant part of the Oakland community. Beyond Sunday services, the church offers a variety of outreach programs, including Stephen’s Table, a collaborative effort providing free meals, and “It’s in the Bag,” a program offering weekend food packs to children in need.

St. John’s

Before there was a St. John’s Episcopal Church in Deer Park some former Garrett County Episcopalians worshiped at a chapel that was part of the famed Deer Park Hotel in 1886.

Chapel worship continued until after World War I, and in 1923, the vestry of the older St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Oakland contracted with the trustees of the Union Church of Deer Park to use that building for services. At that time, the chapel mission congregation chose the name St. John’s, according to published accounts when St. John’s Church was ultimately built as an Episcopal Mission and held its first service in February 1962.

Land for the new parish house and vicarage was donated by Mrs. D. W. Loomis in memory of her husband, Admiral Donald W. Loomis. Located along Maryland Highway (Rt. 135), St. John’s was built with mission funding from the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. The contractor and builder was William A. Shirer of Oakland. The Rt. Rev. Noble C. Powell, bishop of Maryland, and St. John’s vicar Rev. Thomas P. Staup officially broke ground for the new mission on July 2, 1961, The Maryland Churchman reported.

Much like during summers of bygone years, St. John’s Church has always welcomed a seasonal influx of worshipers who flock to Garrett County for its cool mountain climate, superb scenery, and outdoor recreation. The present-day congregation consists of a mix of full-time county residents and “snowbirds,” who help swell church attendance from late spring through fall.

Our Father’s House

Rev. David C. Trimble, former rector of St. Matthew’s Parish, Oakland told the story of how a $50 gift led to erection of a tiny church at Wilson, near Altamont, in Garrett county, the highest point on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. His article, “Faith and Fifty Dollars,” was written in the January, 1939 issue of The Spirit of Missions, an Episcopal church publication, which was issued in New York City at the time.

Pictured here (from the article) is the tiny log church, known as “Our Father’s House,” situated on a State highway, at a point “where two ways meet.”

In 1932, the Women’s Auxiliary of Old St. Paul’s Church, Baltimore, sent. to Rev. Mr. Trimble a check for $50 to be used at his discretion.

Rev. Samuel S. Johnston, a former rector of All Saints’ Church, Reisterstown, then a candidate for the Episcopal priesthood, was sent to Oakland that year to assist at the Oakland church. He organized a small congregation in the Altamont community, without a church. Services were held first in a small school house in the section. Several summer residents, Presbyterians, who owned a large tract of land nearby, offered to aid the congregation obtain a site for a church, and sufficient chestnut timber if its members desired to build a chapel of their own. An architect donated the plans, friends volunteered the labor, and material was donated, including an altar cross.

The cornerstone was laid by Mrs. George Stewart Brown, who with her husband, had given the land. Three hundred people attended the ceremonies, which were followed by a picnic.

The next year the structure, built of logs, was consecrated by Bishop Edward Trail Helfenstein.

The church of logs and stone is of pioneer style. It stands in a spacious setting surrounded by oak, locust and evergreen trees. Services were held in winter and summer. During the summer, the “log chapel,” as it is known, drew many campers and summer visitors in the Oakland area to its Sunday services. Financially, the church paid its way, and the members also subscribed annually to the missionary quota of St. Matthew’s Parish.

Our Father’s House was deconsecrated in October of 2023.