Church of the Good Shepherd-Episcopal (Blue Earth, Minnesota)

Church of the Good Shepherd--Episcopal
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Moore and 8th Sts., Blue Earth, Minnesota
Coordinates	43°38′12″N 94°6′0″W / 43.63667°N 94.10000°W / 43.63667; -94.10000Coordinates: 43°38′12″N 94°6′0″W / 43.63667°N 94.10000°W / 43.63667; -94.10000
Area	7.5 acres (3.0 ha)
Built	1872 (1872)
Architect	Rev. Solomon S. Burleson
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
MPS	Faribault County MRA
NRHP Reference #	80004257[1]
Added to NRHP	May 23, 1980

Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal is a historic church at Moore and 8th Streets in Blue Earth, Minnesota. The city of Blue Earth was established in 1856, and although most of its early settlers were Methodists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians also arrived in the city. The first Episcopal service in the city was held in the Presbyterian church in town on December 10, 1867. In 1870, Bishop Henry Whipple asked the Reverend Solomon Stephens Burleson to visit the city and consider serving the Episcopal community as its resident pastor. Whipple and Burleson returned in 1871, and Whipple offered the parish $3000 for construction of a church if the parish would pay for the rectory. The parish accepted the offer, and Burleson moved from his parish in Northfield to establish the church. Burleson designed the building himself. It has a rectangular shape, with a steeply-pitched roof. A tower topped with a shingled steeple is located on one side of the building. Construction was completed on March 21, 1872, and Whipple returned to consecrate the building on August 13, 1872.^[2]

It was added to the National Register in 1980. In 1982, the three remaining members of the congregation donated the building to the Faribault County Historical Society.^[3]

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