In 1942, the townspeople took advantage of the perfect opportunity to
fulfill the dream of a community place of worship – the Episcopal Diocese
of Wyoming expressed an interest in establishing new churches in the
state. The Jim Newell family, prominent Esterbrook citizens, relayed the
community’s hopes to the Right Reverend Winfred Ziegler of Laramie,
Bishop of the Wyoming Diocese. Over the course of three years, Bishop
Ziegler traveled to Esterbrook often to conduct services, holding the first in
the community schoolhouse.
During that time, planning for, and construction of, the new church
took place. Esterbrook citizen Luther Freeman, who had purchased the
Esterbrook patented mining claim, donated the lot for the church site
as well as raising funds and supervising the construction of the church.
Bishop Ziegler requested the construction be modeled after the Chapel
of the Transfiguration in Moose (near Jackson), also a popular tourist
and wedding destination. (Side note: This modeling was obviously very
accurate, as every time we post a photo of the Esterbrook church or the
Transfiguration church on WLM’s Facebook page people are always
guessing it’s one or the other!)
When it came to building the structure, the entire town pitched in.
Community residents met to fell the timber for the church, donated by area
ranchers. The ladies of Esterbrook prepared a woodcutters’ feast and picnic
baskets for the gentlemen working in the fields. One Esterbrook citizen
was contracted to lay the logs and build the church’s pews, altar, pulpit and
lectern. “The beauty of these rustic appointments, each hand hewn from
native pine, adds immeasurably to the Old West charm of this little church,”
Ms. Layton wrote in the 1960s.
On July 21, 1946, the church was dedicated. Mrs. Ray Cooper, a church
organist, was quoted in Ms. Layton’s article as saying, “We who were there will
always remember that lovely summer day. Through the altar window a great
eagle could be seen circling about, as Bishop Ziegler conducted the impressive
dedication service. It seemed this beautiful bird was adding his blessing to ours
– as if he were a part of the welcoming committee, swooping his thanks!”
Further items, donated by community members and those sympathetic to the
community and its church, also grace the structure. An old Story & Clark
pump organ served the congregations well over the years. This beautiful
antique was brought by wagon to Esterbrook in the 1890s by its original
owners, early citizens who now rest at Spring Hill, a rural cemetery a few
miles west of the church. The belfry bell was gifted to the church in 1947
by Luther Freeman’s sister, Mrs. Julia Carey, wife of Wyoming Governor
and US Senator, Robert D. Carey. The large picture window behind the
altar, which gives those joining their lives in marriage or worshipping God
on Sundays a beautiful view of Laramie Peak, was given by Mort Peters
of Douglas. “{He} often attended services in our church and he decided a
much larger window would give a better view of {the} beautiful Laramie
Mountains,” writes another history shared on the church’s website. Mr.
Wilson of Glendo painted an oil painting of the crucifixion that he presented
to the church, and an offering gathered in the amount of $71.50 led to a
new floor that Mr. Hank Raymond volunteered to lay free of charge. The
building truly came together from the work of many loving hands.
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