Photo supplied, Kartchner Photography courtesy of Weber County Heritage Foundation

During the winter holidays, Weber County Heritage Foundation’s president, Kate Stewart, suggested to photographer Deniane Kartchner that taking photos of historic churches might make some fun and informative social media posts. Kartchner loved the idea and went with it, visiting and photographing eight Ogden churches with congregations over 100 years old from November to February.

“This has been an amazing adventure for me,” Kartchner said. “It started out small but is growing quickly into a very collaborative and valuable preservation project.”

First, there were the Instagram and Facebook posts. Then at the end of March, Kartchner presented a Lunch and Learn to a large crowd at the Golden Hours Senior Center. At the end of April, the project will be featured at Preservation Utah’s annual conference. Ultimately, each church will be featured in detail on the Foundation’s website as an extension of the “Architecture & Artifacts” theme on social media. Kartchner also plans to participate in the Utah Religious Architecture Photograph collection project in progress by the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library.

“I had no idea this would take off like it has,” Kartchner said. “But when you think about it, everything we do today will be history tomorrow.” She hopes the photos she’s taken will help future researchers get an inside look at these historic churches as they appeared in 2021-22 as well as document the times we are living through.

Special thanks to Deniane Kartchner and Weber County Heritage Foundation for the wonderful photos and information. See more of Ogden’s historic churches @webercountyheritagefdtn on Instagram and Weber County Heritage Foundation on Facebook. Their website at webercountyheritagefoundation.com is continuously updated with additional photos.

Photo supplied, Kartchner Photography courtesy of Weber County Heritage Foundation

For information about contributing to the U of U’s ongoing “Utah Religious Architecture Photograph project, visit lib.utah.edu/services/digital-library/utah_religious_architecture.php 

EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

2374 Grant Ave.

The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd was completed in 1874 at a cost of $11,000. James Hammersley of New York City paid for the construction of the church in memory of his daughter, Mrs. Catherine L. Livingston, who had died in Ogden en route to California.

NEW ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

Photo supplied, Kartchner Photography courtesy of Weber County Heritage Foundation

2935 Lincoln Ave.

In 1916, the Wall Avenue Baptist Church was organized. A building which seated about 100 people was dedicated for this congregation in 1919 located at 1701 Wall Avenue. A. J. Billingsly served from 1917-1919 as the first pastor of the Wall Avenue Baptist Church, followed by J.L. Marque from 1919-1920. Later, this church became New Zion Baptist Church with a new building built at 2935 Lincoln Avenue in 1954.

OGDEN CHRISTIAN CHURCH

580 23rd St.

In January, this church building turned 110 years old. Built in 1912 by the German Evangelical Synod of North America, St. Paul’s Evangelical Church of Ogden served the community until the early 1920s. The congregation later incorporated as Ogden Japanese Christian Church, then Ogden Christian Church.

Photo supplied, Kartchner Photography courtesy of Weber County Heritage Foundation

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

2519 Jefferson Ave.

The Rev. Dwight Spencer was Ogden’s first Baptist minister and he attended the organizational meeting held on May 22, 1881, with 13 members in attendance in the Odd Fellow’s Hall. In 1915, the membership of the Baptist church in Ogden was 350 people, and a new church building was constructed for the congregation at 2519 Jefferson in 1925.

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH

514 24th St.

Photo supplied, Kartchner Photography courtesy of Weber County Heritage Foundation

The historic Catholic church on the corner of 24th Street and Adams Avenue is known as St. Joseph’s. The first church building was a small, plain wooden structure, completed and opened for services on Easter Sunday 1877. The current building was completed and dedicated in 1902.

OGDEN FOURTH WARD

2115 Jefferson Ave.

The historic Fourth Ward building was built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1929. Christmas services were held that year in the gymnasium, the only room finished at the time. For a fascinating detailed history, see “History of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ogden Fourth Ward” online at familysearch.org.