Description of Historic Place

A provincially registered heritage place, the King James Bible Baptist Church is a rural wood-frame, wood-shingled maritime vernacular church located in the crossroads community of Caledonia.

Heritage Value

The King James Bible Baptist Church, the former Caledonia Presbyterian Church is valued for its simple architecture, its importance to the landscape and for its connections with the Presbyterian church and Scottish heritage of its community, and more recently as the first permanent home of the King James Church.

The former Caledonian Presbyterian Church was built in 1876 by local residents. The Caledonia and Valleyfield area was first settled by Gaelic-speaking Highland Scots from the Isle of Skye in 1858. Caledonia is a romantic or poetic name for Scotland. Residents would have attended services in Valleyfield prior to the construction of this church. The church is simple in its architecture, with a single gable and paired rectangular four-over-four windows. The three-stage spire is a later addition placed on top of the roof rather than on a tower. A more recent sign located above the door is inscribed with the Gaelic "Taigh Dhe" which translates to "House of God", a reminder of its Scottish heritage. The church interior remained unfinished for nearly 25 years and for the first fifteen years, the congregation did not have a permanent minister, but met regularly to sing hymns and psalms in Gaelic. Ministers from neighbouring communities occasionally held services until Rev. John Sutherland was inducted as minister in 1890. Many of the church members were Gaelic-speaking. Rev. Allister Murray was the last Gaelic-speaking minister at Caledonia, having left in 1935.

Some interior renovations were made in 1900 when a balcony and stairs were installed. The steeple was also added at this time as well as a porch and vestry addition to the front of the church. In 1936 the interior plaster walls were re-finished in Douglas fir, new wooden front doors were installed by local carpenter Dan L. McPherson and the balcony and stairs were removed. Other than small changes to the exterior -- white paint, vinyl siding on the steeple, asphalt shingle roof and exterior metal storm windows -- the church has remained very much as it appeared in 1936.

A manse, since demolished, was located across the road from the church. It had been built during the time of Rev. John Sutherland's ministry sometime after 1890 and was in use until 1948. In 1943 the Caledonia congregation joined the pastoral charge of Wood Islands and more recently formed part of the Murray Harbour North Pastoral Charge. In 2016 the Murray Harbour North Pastoral Charge congregations of Murray Harbour North, Peters Road, Caledonia and Murray Harbour South combined to form the newly constructed Wellspring Presbyterian Church on Commercial Road.

In 2012 ownership of the building transferred to the King James Bible Baptist Church following two years of worshipping at rented locations.

Source: Heritage Places files, PEI Department of Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture, Charlottetown, PEI
File #: 4310-20/C9

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the church is shown in the following character-defining elements:

- the wood frame construction
- the placement and size of the windows
- the large paired rectangular four-over-four windows
- the panelled doors with decorative inset panelling above the entrance
- the roof pitch and the decorative eave brackets
- the three-tiered spire and its placement on the roof
- its location on the Murray Harbour Road