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Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad’s (WGNR) Chapel Car Everlasting is the only active chapel in the United States. However, for a brief period of time beginning in the 1890s and ending in the late 1930s, 13 chapel cars roamed the newly laid rails of the western United States from Chicago to the West Coast. The purpose of those “churches on wheels” was to bring the word of God to the frontier towns along the new railroads. The primary mission was to unite settlers and put together new congregations in those developing towns.
Many town sites during that period of time came and went as quickly as the railroads could lay track on their advance westward. The churches of the time did not want to waste valuable resources by constructing buildings in locations that would not develop into permanent communities. Thus the chapel car could be parked next to the station and serve the community and allow residents to worship together and unite for the purpose of building a lasting community and parish.
Those cars were built by the most famous car builders for three separate denominations. There were three Episcopal cars: The Cathedral Car of North Dakota, and the two cars of Upper Michigan; three Catholic Extension Society cars: St. Anthony, St. Peter, and St. Paul; and seven American Baptist Publication Society cars: Evangel, Emmanuel, Glad Tidings, Good Will, Messenger of Peace, Herald of Hope, and Grace. Of those cars, only three remain: Emmanuel is being restored at Prairie Village in South Dakota, St. Paul is owned by a private collector in Michigan, and Grace is at American Baptist Assembly in Green Lake. [snip] Spooner Advocate
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