Emmanuel Church grew out of a church school formed in 1888 to meet the needs of the residents of the town of Cape Charles, then only two years old. In those days, travel to the closest Episcopal church, Christ Church in Eastville, could be very difficult. As a result, when weather permitted, the rector of Hungars Parish, the Rev. George Easter, traveled to Cape Charles once a month to conduct services at the church school.

Due in large part to the Woman's Guild organized in 1889, the first church building was begun in June 1893 on land from the estate of W. L. Scott. Due to financial problems, however, the church was not consecrated until April 22, 1899.

In 1914, during the rectorship of the Rev. W. G. Pendleton, Emmanuel Church became an independent parish. It remained independent until 1934. Also in 1914, a rectory was built on land from the W. L. Scott estate and occupied by the Rev. M. Colgate Daughtrey. The altar guild, still actively in existence, was organized by the Rev. Mr. Daughtrey on September 9, 1914.

During 1928, the appearance of the original church building was altered--a brick veneer, slate roof, and tower were added, and the entrance moved from Nectarine Street to Tazewell Avenue.

The communion silver was a gift of the Tazewell sisters, the original owners of the land on which the town of Cape Charles now stands. The brass pulpit was obtained in 1915 by the Rev. M. Colgate Daughtrey from Trinity Church, Princeton, New Jersey.

Return to Cape Charles, or to Northampton County.

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