06/14/2026
Greetings, Fellow History Enthusiasts!
Welcome to this week's edition of "Deserve to Preserve," where we spotlight our county's historic resources and celebrate their continuing legacy. This week, we explore Placerville's Episcopal Church of Our Saviour. While the M.E. Church of Placerville holds the title for the oldest surviving church building in the county, it was decommissioned in the 1860s and experienced a long break in ownership until returning to church use in the 1920s as a Sunday school and youth auxiliary building. Because of that, the Church of Our Saviour is actually the oldest continually occupied church in Placerville, remaining in continuous operating use since its construction in 1865!
Standing proudly on Coloma Street, the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour is a true architectural and cultural treasure. After early services were organized by Reverend Charles Caleb Peirce in the Old Court House in 1861, the congregation sought a permanent home. Through the dedication of the Episcopal Church Women, who hosted a three day fair netting $1,200, and four local saloon keepers who famously canvassed the town in a single afternoon to raise the final $1,500, the community willed this beautiful building into existence. The cornerstone was laid on June 22, 1865, and the church opened its doors that December.
Designed by prominent San Francisco architect William Patton and built by local contractor O. Taylor, the building is a masterclass in Neo Gothic Revival architecture. Lacking traditional European stone, Patton utilized local wood in ingenious ways to achieve a grand cathedral effect:
- The Clipper Ship Ceiling: The light, elegant vaulted roof is supported by scissor trusses forming an inverted clipper ship frame, utilizing the marine building practices of former San Francisco shipwrights. This specific roof structure is believed to be unique to New England and the California Mother Lode.
- The Stone Illusion: Builders constructed a second wall three feet inside the exterior to give the tall stained glass windows the appearance of being deeply recessed in thick masonry.
- The Historic Bell: High above the sanctuary, the original bell cast in Boston in 1850 and shipped around the Horn still rings every Sunday.
The true heart of the parish will always be Reverend C. C. Peirce. For over four decades, he traversed our rugged county entirely on foot, traveling everywhere from Placerville and Clarksville to Georgetown, Coloma, and Camino. He walked countless miles to minister to remote mining camps, famously declining rides by simply stating, "The Master walked." Reverend Peirce never accepted a church salary, relying completely on the community for his room and board at the Ohio House, all while serving as the City Superintendent of Schools and an important member of the El Dorado County School Board. It was impossible for the women of the church to keep a coat on his back, as Reverend Peirce always gave it away to someone more in need. An avowed Socialist who actively looked for the good in everyone, he was a profoundly beloved figure. When he passed away in March 1903, Placerville’s schools, businesses, and even the local saloons closed to honor his legacy.
Decades of community care have kept the church standing. In the 1920s and 1930s, high school shop teacher Silvio Ronzone and his students led major restorations, handcrafting the sanctuary's stunning wood paneling, credence table, and altar rail right in their school shop. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970s, the church has continued to evolve while preserving its 19th century charm.
We were thrilled to showcase this incredible history during the April 18th EDCHS Historic Home Tour featuring Placerville’s Coloma Street and Spring Street Historic District. The Church graciously hosted the EDCHS as the official reception center for the event. A special highlight was local actor and vestry member Dan Trainor, who brilliantly portrayed Reverend Peirce and-with his fellow congregants-led attendees through the original circa 1865 sanctuary!
Image 1 courtesy of the El Dorado County Historical Museum. Images 2-12 courtesy of the Bruce & Laurie Maclin Collection, property of Jacob Rigoli & Sean Manwaring.
