Consecrated on Jan. 25, 1896, as the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. The church began as St. James Mission in 1892 when Mrs. Virginia Trabue, wife of Isaac Trabue, founder of Punta Gorda, requested Bishop William Gray to organize Episcopal services in the young town. For sixty-six years it was a mission. Albert Gilchrist donated the site and Mrs. Samuel Colt, contributed the funds to construct the building. The Colt’s only son, Caldwell Hart, drowned in 1893 and this tragedy may have increased Mrs. Colt's interest in the local church. The name of the church was changed at her request and she added a beautiful Tiffany chancel window in memory of her son. The original structure circa 1919 served until 1980, when a new building was erected at Henry and Shreve Street.
The first image is believed to be one of the first known photos of the Church of the Good Shepherd taken shortly after its completion in 1986. The second is the church as it looked in 1920, looking north from Cross Street. This view shows the rear of the sanctuary as well as the famed Tiffany Glass window.
