Church of the Holy Cross

Introduction

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Erected in 1905, the Church of the Holy Cross is an interesting and striking example of Gothic Revival architecture. It was originally known as St. Mark's Episcopal Church before becoming Church of the Holy Cross (an Episcopalian congregation) in 1954. The church, which is two stories tall with a three-story bell tower, was built with red brick and resembles an English parish church. Notable features include a French rose window, lancet arches, stained glass windows, decorative brickwork, and crenelation (on the bell tower and chapel behind it) that gives the building a castle-like appearance. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

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Backstory and Context

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Bishop Leonidas Polk led the first Episcopalian service in Shreveport on March 24, 1839. In 1845, the first Episcopalian congregation was established and built a church at what is now the intersection of Market and Fannin Streets. The congregation built St. Mark's in 1905 and remained there until 1953 when a new church was built away from downtown. However, a group of 126 members from St. Mark's congregation decided to stay and established Holy Cross in 1954. They wanted to keep serving the area, which was started to decline as people moved to the suburbs. The congregation continues this mission today, serving the underserved population in the neighborhood.

Sources

"Bishop Leonidas Polk." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed December 30, 2019. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=139948.

"History." Church of the Holy Cross. Accessed December 30, 2019. http://holycrossshreveport.com/history.

National Register Staff. "St. Mark's Episcopal Church." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/91000700_text.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Rene Gomez, via Wikimedia Commons

Additional Information