The church website tells the story of how the church was formed: (
visit link) . An interesting bit from the webpage is this:
"At a meeting of the vestry in March 1856, it was resolved to enlarge and improve the then-existing church edifice, but this proposition soon turned into a plan to erect a new building on the location of the old church. This new building was consecrated on June 28, 1857 (though the spire and pews would not be completed until 1871). It was the first church building built by Ypsilanti contractors Ballard and Edmunds. (Both Arden Ballard and James Edmunds were sons-in-law of Benjamin J. Woodruff, having married, respectively, daughters Adelia and Angelina; and both were members of St. Luke's. Ardan Ballad was a member of St. Luke's first vestry.)
The total cost of this structure (furnished) was $15,000. It was designed by Detroit's premier architectural firm, Jordan and Anderson, and is one of the oldest, thoroughly Gothic Revival churches in Michigan. The structure reflects the changing tastes in, and theories of, ecclesiastical architecture. Early 19th century architects had used pointed ornaments on their buildings and called the resulting design "Gothic." The interest in building new structures based on medieval forms and decorations, even to the point of copying actual medieval structures, had its origin in the High Church movement of 19th century Anglicanism. The success of that movement is evident in the fact that, when most people think of church architecture, it's medieval architecture that comes to mind.
The design of St. Luke's is modeled after Gothic-inspired churches, including St. Paul's, Detroit. The plan is basically that of a central, gable-roofed box with a tall tower and spire on one side of the facade, and a smaller turret - or pinnacle - on the other. The elevation features pointed arch window and door openings, prominent buttressing, pinnacles, and gables, making it a somewhat subdued example of mid-Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. Numerous churches were built in Michigan using this same basic plan. St. Luke's was the first outside of Detroit and stands as a monument to the importance of the City of Ypsilanti in the mid-century. Inset over the west-end lancet windows is a great St. James Cross, an homage to the short-lived, fledgling Episcopal congregation of St. James which was reorganized into St. Luke's.
The exterior view of St. Luke's has not changed greatly in the past 130 or so years. Except . . . , the spire (the tallest in Washtenaw County) was (sadly) taken down in 1971 in response to concerns about its structural integrity. Apparently, the heavy traffic on Huron Street created vibrations which lead to serious safety concerns.
The bell (manufactured by the Meneely Bell Casting Company in Troy, New York), which was originally housed in the spire, was then moved into the Cloister Garth memorial garden. Instead of tuning his bells, Clinton Meneely relied on exact profiles and, if necessary, cast again and again until he achieved the desired result. Two separate factions of the Meneely family operated two foundries which together are said to have produced 65,000 bells in their life. Alas, they are no longer in production today.
On October 20, 1974, the Rev. Sidney Rood consecrated the Cloister Garth (a small, enclosed garden) for the interment of ashes of deceased parishioners and friends of St. Luke's. Designed by landscape architect and parishioner Arthur J. Howard and made possible by a gift from parishioner Marion Stowe, the Garth is a place of beauty and repose at all times of the year. In every season, flowers and shrubs enhance the New York bluestone and the St. Francis statue and the mural of the "Good Shepherd" by Jane McAllister Dart, a retired professor of art at Eastern Michigan University.
The church itself is built of soft "Chicago" red brick. The lintels, sills, water tables and other architectural elements, which appear to be stone, are actually of the same red brick, coated with a limestone-colored mortar. Unfortunately, this decorative treatment tended to trap dampness which, in the course of the freeze-thaw cycle and general expansion due to moisture, has resulted in some breaking of the bricks."
In "The Past and Present of Washtenaw County" written in 1906 by Samual Beakes, this History of the early Episcople's in Washtenaw County, and the beginning of the Church is given:
"St. Luke's Episcopal Church. As early as 1828 a Mr. Cornish assembled a few on Sundays and read the service of the Episcopal church, sometimes delivering a sermon. In the same year Rev. Mr. Corey, of Detroit, came out and preached occasionally and after him Rev. Richard Berry came a few times. In 1830 while the territory was yet under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Bishop Mcllvane, of Ohio, the Rev. Silas C. Freeman came here as a missionary. He organized a church of about ten members and named it St. James. Then came Rev. Charles Reighly, under whose ministry an Episcopal Society was formed and the name of the church changed from St. James to St. Luke. A new church edifice was built, and consecrated July 3, 1838, though the spire and the pews were not finished until 1842. After serving the society about two years Mr. Reighly resigned and went south where he subsequently became president of Columbia College in Mississippi. Next came Rev. H. P. Powers in June, 1840. The church was still very small, having but fifteen communicants and the society was weak and embarrassed. The duties of a rector were arduous, involving, as was not uncommon in those days, the responsibilities also of sexton, collector and warden. After a pastorate of more than six years, Mr. Powers resigned in 1846. After being supplied occasionally by neighboring ministers the society succeeded in securing the services of Rev. John A. Wilson. Mr. Wilson commenced his labors in July, 1847, coming down from Ann Arbor and returning generally on foot, for the first season. At a meeting of the vestry in March, 1856, it was resolved to enlarge and improve the then existing church edifice, but this proposition ended up in the erection of a new building on the location of the old church ; and this new building was consecrated June 28, 1857. The architects were Jordan and Anderson, of Detroit, and the contractors were Partee, Griffin, Curtiss, Boyd and Foster. The size of this church, which is the present structure, is ninety-three by forty-five feet, and the spire is one hundred and twenty-eight feet high. Its cost, furnished, was fifteen thousand 745 dollars. The number of communicants in 1857 was 80.dollars. The number of communicants in 1857 was 80. The officers of the church at the time the new building was being erected were : Rev. John A. Wilson, rector; Benjamin Follett and George
Hill, wardens; Benjamin Follett, H. G. Sheldon, C King, F. N. Clark, J. M. B. Sill, C Joslyn, Geo. Hill, M. A. Parks, M. Cook and J. W. Van Cleve, vestrymen. In 1872 Rev. John Wilson celebrated the 25th anniversary of his pastorate, during which period he had delivered 2,600 sermons, 900 lectures and confirmed 256 people ; and the total amount of money raised during that period, for all purposes, had been $53,345.57, of which $10, 245.57 was for missions and churches.
Dr. Wilson remained rector until the '8os, when Rev. Thomas McLean became rector. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Woodruff, Rev.
Montgomery M. Goodwin and Rev. William Gar dam, who became rector in 1895 and still has charge of the parish. "