St. Michael’s Episcopal Church of Milton, MA

Est. 1895

On September 2, 1895 (St. Michael’s Day) the first Episcopal service in Milton was held in Fraternity Hall in Milton Village, thanks to the devoted efforts of Miss Ellen Wilde and fourteen Milton families.  Bishop Lawrence appointed, as lay reader for this new mission a theological student, Theodore Irving Reese.  After his graduation from Episcopal Divinity School, he became the first rector of the organized parish, and served until 1907.  An acre of land on Randolph Avenue was purchased for the new church and the cornerstone was laid on St. Michael’s Day, 1898.  The original structure of the church extended only to the present chancel steps; the chancel was enlarged in 1916 with a stained glass window designed by Ralph Adams Cram.  The first service in the new building was held on Easter Sunday, 1899.  The keystone of the archway over the main entrance is a fragment of the old Norman Abbey in Milton Abbas, England, a gift from the Lord of Manor and rector of the English parish.  The rectory was built in 1899 and adjacent to the church.  The school building and land was purchased from Milton Academy during Rev. Norman D. Goehring’s term as rector (1944-1963).  During that time, the rectory was also moved from behind the church to the new piece of land on the south side of the campus.