One million dollars of historic preservation and accessibility improvement work is set to begin this month at Trinity Episcopal Church. It will be completed by July 2026, in celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday.
“We will do a generation’s worth of exterior restoration work on our buildings, grounds, graveyard, fences and walls. We will also improve accessibility for those with mobility issues, create directional and interpretive signage, and install an accessible bathroom in the church. The exterior of our campus will reflect the vitality of the interior life of our congregation,” says The Rev. William A.J. Heine, rector at Trinity.
Half the project funding comes from the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund, awarded and administered by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR). The other half comes from the parish’s Generation to Generation giving campaign. Trinity is one of 35 projects statewide to receive Virginia 250 funds, which total $20 million.
One of the oldest Episcopal parishes west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Trinity was founded as Augusta Parish in 1746. Fleeing British soldiers in the east, the Virginia General Assembly met in June 1781 at the church, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Its current building, the third on the site in historic downtown Staunton, was completed in the 1850s.
The site’s history and the building’s significant array of stained-glass windows make Trinity Episcopal a favorite tourist stop in Staunton. Established to aid widows and orphans, the parish was the only government of Augusta County until 1780. The spirit of community service and faithfulness to Christ remains strong at Trinity, which has more than 500 members and is the site of a daily weekday lunch open to all. Trinity’s campus and facilities continue to serve civic groups (AA groups, Newtown Neighborhood Association), non-profits (the Staunton Music Festival), and a wide range of community gatherings.
The extensive construction projects will begin with the removal of seven trees from the church’s historic churchyard and cemetery. The trees are either dying or encroaching on nearby sidewalks, fencing and a future accessibility ramp. Wood from the trees will be used for future projects, especially by Taylor & Boody Organ Builders in Staunton.
William T. Frazier, FAICP and Kathleen O. Frazier, FAIA Emerita of Frazier Associates, Architects & Planners, are members of the congregation and are assisting the church with the application and the management of the grant as well as coordinating with DHR in Richmond.
“It is a real honor to have the Commonwealth of Virginia recognize the historic significance of Trinity Church,” says Bill Frazier, “and the important role it played in the founding of our nation as we celebrate its upcoming 250th anniversary.
“While much work has gone into preserving and restoring the historic church, parish hall, and rectory over the past two decades, this grant will ensure all aspects of the grounds will receive a similar treatment. For that, we are all grateful for the confidence the Virginia Department of Historic Resources has placed in us to be good stewards as we begin this important endeavor.”
FOR PRESS: For more information and additional interviews, please contact the Rev. A.J. Heine, rector, at ajh@trinitystaunton.org or by phone, 540-886-9132. High-resolution photos are available.
Photo credit above: Sally James
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