The fiftieth anniversary of the move of Christ Chapel to the Boise State University campus occurs this year. On July 8, 1963, the church was moved to its current location on the university campus between Bronco Stadium and Broadway Avenue, then known as Boise College.
The church was built in 1866 on the corner of Seventh and Bannock Streets in downtown Boise. The cost of the building was $1500 in gold, and the money was raised mostly by church women who held ice cream socials, bazaars where quilts and fancy work were sold, and home talent shows.
Throughout its existence as an Episcopal church, the structure saw many services and activities. The Christ Chapel Historical Society of Idaho was founded in 1963 to oversee the chapel and decided to move the chapel to the university campus after it was determined it must be moved from its original site. Before its move, the church was deconsecrated as an Episcopal house of worship. After the move, it was rededicated as a non-denominational structure in a ceremony on May 17, 1964.
The Christ Chapel Historical Society created a policy to restrict the chapel to nondenominational use and stated the university would handle maintenance and scheduling of the building. The chapel still stands on campus today and is the oldest protestant church in Montana, Utah, and Idaho.
Julia Stringfellow
Librarian/Archivist and Assistant Professor
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