From the March 15, 1972 Potsdam Courier & Freeman under the column "A Century Ago" by Susan Lyman, Historian"

 

March 1880: "A movement is on foot to build an Episcopal church in this village this coming summer. The site has not yet been determined on. From $4000 to $5000 will be necessary to complete the work and it is proposed to raise this amount by subscription. We understand that some very liberal donations will be made by some and we hope that our citizens in general will contribute as liberal as their circumstances will allow. Such a church as they propose to build will not only be a credit but an ornament to our village.

A meeting of the congregation of St. Andrew's Mission, Norwood, held divine service Sunday afternoon Feb. 7, 1880. A committee consisting of Messers. Mab Valley, Omar Hine, Andrew Pearson and Hiram Rodee, together with the missionary in charge, was invited to procure subscriptions and superintend the erection of a church for St. Andrew's congregation in accordance with the rites and ceremony of the (P.E.) church.

On Thursday of this week there will be services of St. Andrew's Church (P.E.) and Inman's Hall at 9 a.m. at which time Holy Communion will be administered. (Note: the post office is located in Inman Block).

It is about decided that the Episcopal Church which is to be built this summer will be erected on the site now covered by the residence of W.T. Leonard on the corner of Main and Depot St. It is intended, after the lot is purchased, to move the house on the lot in the rear and dispose of it in some way beneficial to the society. Work will commence as soon as weather permits."

Historian's Note: St. Andrew's Mission was organized in Potsdam Junction (now Norwood) in 1874 and services for the 15 families who were Episcopalians were held in the Congregational meeting house and the Firemen's Hall prior to the construction of St. Philip's Church in the 1880's. The new church was used in 1885 although unfinished. The name was changed in 1894 when the church was consecrated and a charter granted, in 1901 the Mission was incorporated as a parish.