Red Rock (Ont.)

The Mission of Red Rock was first established in 1932 and was served at that time by Rev. T. Cann, then priest-in-charge at St. Mary's Anglican Church (Nipigon, Ont.).  Following World War II and the rise of the Brompton Pulp and Paper Company in Red Rock services were held in the dinning room of the company owned hotel and then in the theatre. During this period the Mission of Red Rock was overseen by Rev. A.J. Bull, also of St. Mary's.

In 1948 under the supervision of Rev. C.F. Large, plans for the construction of St. Peter's Anglican Church (Red Rock, Ont.) were finalized.  In the early days all the non-Roman Catholic members of the community worshiped together in St. Peter's.  The United Church members later established their own congregation.  The actual construction of the building started on June 8, 1948 and the dedication service was held by Rev. W.L. Wright, Bishop of Algoma, on December 3, 1948.  

St. Peter's Anglican Church (Red Rock, Ont.) is of frame construction on a concrete foundation.  The cornerstone of the church is part of a capital from a nave pier head from the roof of St. Olave Church, Hart Street, London, England.  The Processional Cross is of oak from a piece of molded rib timber, also from St. Olave. The cornerstone was laid on October 16, 1948 by Rev. A.J. Bull and Rev. C.F. Large.

Several improvement projects were undertaken at St. Peters in the spring of 1972.  The church hall was redecorated, carpet was placed in the choir room and stairways, the kitchen floor was tiled, and repairs were made to the roof.

Sources:

"Built in 1948, St. Peter's Served Anglicans and United Church", The Algoma Anglican 1 (1957): 2.

"Work Projects At Red Rock Church", The Algoma Anglican 16, no. 5 (1972): 4. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_008_005.

The Nipigon Bay Anglican Parish comprises St. Mary's Anglican Church (Nipigon, Ont.); St. Matthew's Anglican Church (Dorion, Ont.); and St. Peter's Anglican Church (Red Rock, Ont.).  St. Mary's is the mother church of the current parish.  St. Matthew's, Dorion is now a community museum and St. Peter's was closed and sold to the United Church of Canada. 

In 1872, the Rev. D. B. Douglas arrived as the first Anglican missionary in the Thunder Bay area.  The Rev. E. F. Wilson directed the construction the first St. Mary's - Negwenenang on McIntyre Bay, Lake Nipigon in 1880 (this was later ordered abandoned and removed at the order of the Indian Agent).  In 1881 the Rev. Robert Renison, father of the future Bishop of Moosonee arrived in the area.  The Bishop Edward Sullivan visited the Lake Nipigon area in 1882 organizing services and games for local children.  Also in 1882, monthly worship services commenced in the home of Mr. Flanagan, the local Hudson's Bay Company manager.  At them time, his was the only permanent residence at what is now Nipigon, Ontario.  Rev. Renison moved services for the area to the new Canadian Pacific Railway station's waiting room at Nipigon (also called Neepigon or Nepigon).  In 1888, the local people raised $250 to construct what is now St. Mary's Anglican Church, Nipigon.  Growth in resource extraction in the area led to population increases.  In 1920 the diocese established St. Matthew's Anglican Church (Dorion, Ont.) and in 1948 St. Peter's Anglican/ United Church was built at Red Rock, Ontario at the mouth of the Nipigon River.

Sources:

"Anglican Parish of Nipigon Historical Highlights",  Diocesan History of St. Mary's in Nipigon, 1990-1992, Diocesan Heritage Centre History Files Collection, File 2013-078/007(005), Algoma University Archives.