This church and its associated parsonage are reminders of the glory days of Brady's Bend. Great Western Iron Works and its successor Brady's Bend Iron Works employed hundreds of people and supported the entire area economically between 1839 and 1873. The company donated land for six churches. When the iron works closed, most of the village's population, recruited from England, Wales, and Belgium, left. This church's congregation disbanded, and since then, the building has been used as an American Legion Post and is now the property of the Brady's Bend Historical Society, which has restored and preserved the church as a museum. St. Stephen's was the only local congregation to build in stone. To make this financially possible, undressed golden sandstone was used for most of the construction, and red brick, instead of expensive ashlar stone, for the window surrounds; the contrasting color and materials create a decorative effect. The parsonage, completed two years after the church, remains a private residence. It has excellent board-and-batten siding, decorative window surrounds, and handsome carving around the double entrance doors.
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St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and Parsonage House
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