Heritage in the Hat: Faith in the Flats

By Medicine Hat News on March 17, 2018.

Soon after Medicine Hat was established in 1883, Presbyterians, Methodists, Anglicans and Roman Catholics all established churches in the downtown core of Medicine Hat. The Baptist Church was built just across the tracks at the corner of Third St. and Maple Avenue in 1890. By the early 1900s, employment was booming at the CPR, warehouses and factories east of downtown and citizens of the new North Flats neighbourhood wanted their own churches.

The East End Presbyterian Mission was organized by Rev. McLaren in 1904 and Evangelicals, Lutherans, Methodists and Anglicans soon built churches all located within a few blocks. The building previously used by St. John’s Presbyterian Church had been moved to Allowance Avenue between Dominion and Queen Streets. It was purchased in 1907, named Knox Presbyterian Church and plastered, painted and cleaned by volunteers from the congregation. A pulpit was donated and chairs and lights purchased, all in time for a dedication in October of that year.

As the congregation expanded, a larger building was required and in 1912, two lots at Allowance and Dominion were acquired. A brick building with a capacity for 600 was tendered but came in significantly over budget so a frame building was constructed instead. The membership continued to grow and in 1920, a brick veneer structure was erected, attached to the 1912 building. The sacrifice of the members of Knox during the Great War was acknowledged by renaming the church Knox Memorial Presbyterian.

Meanwhile, two blocks over, Washington Avenue Methodist Church had been organized in 1913 and a frame building constructed. The Methodist congregation had long enjoyed good relations with the Knox congregation, including joint summer services, so it was natural to combine the congregations when the United Church was created in 1925. Both buildings were utilized for a time with the Methodist parsonage used as the manse. The joint board recommended the sale of the Methodist church building, which took place in 1929 to the Church of God.

Salem United Church, a German-speaking former Congregationalist church with origins going back to 1914, had outgrown its building on nearby Queen Street. In 1948, Salem amalgamated with Memorial and the joint congregation became Memorial Salem United Church. Separate services in English and German continued until 1967 when full integration occurred because the new pastor only spoke English.

In 1994, the Memorial Salem United Church congregation moved their services from the Dominion Street building to Southview Community School. Three years later in 1997, Memorial Salem United Church amalgamated with Fifth Avenue United Church, which became Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church.

The church building at 902 Dominion was sold and replaced with an apartment building. The Washington Avenue Methodist Church has a new life as the Montessori School. Many other churches were also established in the neighbourhood over the years, each with its own story but all contributed to the rich cultural life in the North (River) Flats.

Malcolm Sissons is the Chair of the Heritage Resources Committee.This column relied heavily on research conducted by Grace Roth in 1997.