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TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH

317 Franklin St.
931-645-2458

Mission:

Our Mission is to seek and serve God in Christ through worship in the Anglican tradition. We provide opportunities for spiritual growth and ministry to ourselves and others, all within an accepting and diverse community.

History:

Trinity Episcopal Parish in Clarksville was founded in 1832 and is one of the five oldest Episcopal parishes in Tennessee. Its first building was erected in 1838.

In the early years, Trinity received support from local Presbyterians who believed that a “proper” town needed both a Presbyterian and an Episcopal presence, representing the two established churches of the British Isles, the original home of many early Middle Tennessee settlers.

During the Civil War, Trinity was one of the few local churches allowed to remain open by the Union forces that occupied Clarksville because the rector insisted that “decent and orderly” worship transcended politics and even war. In those years, Trinity also founded several rural missions. One of those missions, Grace Chapel in Rossview, is still an active congregation.

In 1873 the original building was demolished, and the current Romanesque building was completed in 1877. A rectory was built in 1883, and a new Parish House in 1916. The facilities were renovated in the 1920s, and again in the 1980s, always with an eye toward historical fidelity.

In the early morning hours of January 22, 1999, a tornado ripped through Clarksville, and the church was hit hard. A portion of the roof collapsed and part of the steeple was knocked over, but the walls remained, providing enough structure to begin restoration. The Parish House was damaged beyond repair.

After a multi-year effort by the parishioners and the Clarksville community, the church was rebuilt, a new

Parish House was constructed and the congregation returned to its place of worship and service on Franklin Street.


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