Knox Presbyterian Church, Cornwall, Ontario

Knox Presbyterian Church

Knox Presbyterian Church (later Knox-St. Paul United). The church was designed by James P. Johnston in 1884-85. The steeple burned in 1945. Repairs were designed by architect Forsey Pemberton B. Page in 1947. This card shows the church before its tower was removed. The Church was Presbyterian after a split in the Scottish church in the 1840s. A group in Cornwall adhered to the new “Free Kirk”. The year 1846 is “sort of” the official beginning. The first church was opposite Central Public School (now the parking lot between the church and 132 2nd E) where, at one time, the Chamber of Commerce had its offices. Like the Methodist Church, there was “toing and froing” over the years until all joined the United Church. Much of Cornwall is built on quicksand. To accommodate the heavy stone, Knox was built on a raft of logs that shifted with the sand. Over the years, the water table has changed and the logs have dried out and crumbled. The church was sagging dangerously, was deemed unsafe, and has been torn down. (Text by Lyall Manson)

~ Lily Worrall Collection

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