St. David's Episcopal Church

Caldwell, Idaho, began as a construction camp for the Oregon Short Line Railroad. The city was established in the late 1800's. Early records show that the Episcopalians were holding church services as early as 1884. They met whenever a priest, usually on horseback or by stage, came through the town. Services were held at the school, the city hall, the College of Idaho Academy and other churches until 1896 when St. David's, a wood building with stained glass windows, was finished at 1001 Main Street. A large wood stove heated the church and the first seats were boxes.

The church was forced to move in the 1950’s when the city built the Tenth Avenue Bridge over the railroad tracks. The current church at Arlington and Pine was completed in 1956 using all of the original stained glass windows. It is located next to West Valley Medical Center and its lawn provides an oasis of green amidst the medical professional buildings.  The stained glass windows, when lighted at night, are a source of comfort to many patients who can view them from their hospital rooms.

n 1981 the church acquired (on loan) from the US Navy the ship’s bell from the USS Pine Island (AV-12), a seaplane tender. It is rung weekly as a call to worship.