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Saturday, October 20, 2001

It may be hard to visualize now, but within the area of the Albert Lea Medical Center building complex and parking lots was the city’s first Episcopalian church building at the north end, plus a small city park at the south end. In a way, these two landmarks served like bookends on what was once Grove Avenue.

Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple of Faribault, one of Minnesota’s most famous church leaders, had a predominate role in the founding of Albert Lea’s Christ Episcopal Church and its original location at the north end of Grove Avenue.

The new Bishop of Minnesota held the first Episcopalian service on Jan. 28, 1861, and held the first local service in a schoolhouse.

Whipple was born on Feb. 15, 1822, in Adams, N.Y., married in 1842, and was ordained in 1849. He became the Bishop of the Minnesota Diocese in 1859 and established his see in Faribault in early 1860.

When Whipple arrived in Minnesota, there were about 15 frame or log churches in the diocese with just four clergymen and a dozen missionaries to the Indians. One of his first challenges was to establish new churches in the growing communities.

From 1868 to 1876, Episcopal services was conducted in Albert Lea at the courthouse and other locations by Bishop Whipple and visiting clergy from other towns on a very irregular basis. In March 1876, the bishop organized a mission parish in Albert Lea to be served by Rev. R. R. Goudy from Austin. On April 17, 1877, Bishop Whipple used the local Presbyterian Church for a confirmation service.

The small group of Albert Lea Episcopalians petitioned the bishop to establish a parish in late 1878. He granted the request and gave the name of the Church of the Good Shepherd to the new parish.

Two years later, the congregation purchased the local Congregational Church. However, they were unable to pay off the mortgage and lost the building in 1886.

Meanwhile a benefactor named Henry D. Arey donated several thousand dollars and land to be used for a new church building at the corner of Park and Grove Avenues. Arey also asked that the name of the parish be changed. Thus, the permanent home for Christ Episcopal Church was consecrated on March 3, 1887. This building. served the local Episcopal parish until the present church at the corner of Washington Avenue and Fountain Street was consecrated on Oct. 3, 1956.

Whipple, the pioneer clergyman who started the church in Albert Lea and made his home in Faribault for the rest of his life, died on Sept. 16,1901.

At the south end of Grove Avenue was Armstrong Park. This park ceased to exist about 30 years ago. However, a real reminder of this once revered part of the local landscape can still be seen.

The small park may have been one of the first plots of land in Albert Lea dedicated to public use. For over a century, the grassy area and its drinking fountain seemed to add something special to one local neighborhood. The 1912 county history book written by Franklyn Curtis-Wedge says, &uot;Armstrong Park, a small triangular piece of ground between Fountain, Grove and West Streets, was donated by Augustus Armstrong, While small, it adds a share to the beauty of that most delightful residence section and will be particularly useful since the City and County Hospital has been located just to the west of it (the park).&uot;

The City and County Hospital was soon renamed Naeve Hospital. This entire location is now part of the Albert Lea Medical Center.

Augustus Armstrong was a member of one of the first families to settle in Albert Lea. He arrived in the small settlement located beside a prairie lake in 1857 and soon became deeply involved with local life and politics. Armstrong was the county’s first clerk of court, served as county treasurer for several years, became a justice of the peace, and was one of the area’s first lawyers. He also served as Freeborn County Attorney, was elected to several terms as both a representative and senator in the Minnesota Legislature, and led the fund drive to build the city’s first church. The 1912 history book says he contributed a thousand dollars to help with the construction of the original Presbyterian Church.

Armstrong died on Aug. 18, 1873, while on a visit to Delavan, Wis. He is buried at Graceland Cemetery.

For many years the main feature in the small park was a popular drinking fountain. However, this fountain was vandalized several times and finally removed, according to local historian Bidney Bergie. Bergie added that its too bad no photos are available to show the Armstrong Park fountain.

Armstrong Park ceased to exist in the early 1970s when Grove Street was vacated and the entire area was revised as part of the new Naeve Hospital building project.

Yet, there’s still a tangible reminder left of this pioneer park. A short sidewalk and the concrete base of the old fountain, can seen next to the Albert Lea Medical Center sign by the stoplight on Fountain Street. Also, in 1994, the Naeve Hospital Association installed a new drinking fountain as a way to revive this particular memento of the past for the public.