Our History

​In 1775, before the Declaration of Independence was signed, a group of Anglicans began meeting secretly for worship. They met at the Moses Andrews Homestead on West Main Street, and they followed the order of the Prayer Book. This group of Anglicans would charter St. Andrew's parish in 1789.

In June of 1866, after the Civil War, the cornerstone of our building was laid at the intersection of Catlin, Liberty, and East Main Streets. Designed by architect Henry Dudley of New York, the church was consecrated on November 7, 1867. The Parish House was built shortly there after in 1888.​

St. Andrew's is a "gable-roofed Romanesque Revival" constructed of brownstone from Portland, Connecticut. The interior is decorated by our beautiful stained glass windows, hand carved choir stalls, and this phenomenal cross (pictured left).
 
The church organ, constructed in 1967-68 by The Austin Organ Co. of Hartford, consists of 38 ranks of pipes, with an antiphonal organ placed in a rear balcony, enhanced with a trumpet rank added.

The present church is the third building the parish has occupied. The first was a 45 x 36 foot wooden structure constructed in 1810 at the corner of Broad and Olive streets where the burial ground is located. The second, built in 1848, also on Broad Street, was located near First Baptist Church and Center Congregational Church. The church outgrew the second building, and it was sold to the Roman Catholic diocese, becoming the first home of St. Rose of Lima Church.

By the grace of God, the building and its people have withstood wars, depressions and natural disasters. Our bell tower continues to reach toward the sky, accompanying the prayers and praises we offer both within the building and outside our walls. We look forward to celebrating the 150 year anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone in June of 2016.