This Sheboygan church was home to Wisconsin's first Boy Scout troop | Throwback Thursday

Gary C. Klein, Sheboygan Press

April 28, 2022 at 9:01 AM·2 min read

SHEBOYGAN - Back in 1843, Grace Episcopal Church began its mission with the itinerant missionary Rev. S.K. Miller holding services in various homes.

Two years later, in 1845, the first rector was the Rev. L.W. Davis. Where the current building is today, a frame church was built.

A bit later, the Rev. R.W. Blow directed the building of the English Gothic church in 1870. Gothic-style churches were popular during that era.

According to a 1947 Sheboygan Press clipping from Beth Dippel of the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center, the church grew under the direction of the Rev. A. Parker Curtiss during the early part of the 20th century, and ornamentation of the church created one of the most beautiful small churches in the Midwest.

The east nave wall at Grace Episcopal Church in Sheboygan, Wis.

The church, which also features a Norman Bell tower, has had relatively few exterior changes through its long existence. A couple of remodeling events expanded the building, but the 1870 building is relatively intact.

According to a Press clipping from 1987, the church was also fundamental in founding St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Plymouth in 1857 and St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Sheboygan Falls in the 1870s.

For many years, Grace Church has observed its patronal feast on the Feast of St. Nicholas. In 1979, the Sisters of St. Francis (of St. Nicholas Hospital at the time) presented the church with the antique statue of St. Nicholas, which originally was at the old hospital. That article said Grace now houses that special statue.

The church is known for many firsts, including the first Boy Scout Troop in the State of Wisconsin. It was founded at the parish along with its companion troop, 801. That troop is still active today, according to the church's website.

Today, the Rev. William L. Bulson is the Rector at the parish. Bulson has spent years of study abroad at stops in Russia, Turkey, Italy and Japan. He spent most of his career in multi-ethnic and -lingual congregations.

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This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan church was home to the first Boy Scout troop in Wisconsin