Knox United Church

Description of the Historic Place

Knox United Church is a pre-World War I, two-storey, brick and concrete church. The building was constructed between 1912 and 1914, and is located along the South Saskatchewan riverbank of downtown Saskatoon.

This historic place, located at 838 Spadina Crescent East, was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property in 2003. The designation is limited to the exterior of the building.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Knox United Church lies in its architecture. The building was designed by the prominent Montreal architectural firm of Brown and Vallance in a Collegiate Gothic style with an irregular, pointed cruciform floor plan. The Church bears all of the main characteristics of this architectural style, including arched doorways, multiple stained glass windows, and stepped pediments. Its imposing dark red brick exterior reflects stability and strength suitable for a house of worship, while four sets of stained glass windows add ethereal ambience. One of these windows, referred to as the “Burning Bush” window, commemorates the zeal of the church’s Presbyterian origins. In its interior, high ceilings and the extensive use of oak in the church’s raised chancel, balconies and exposed rafters continue its lofty style. Except for the extension of its north wall to accommodate an elevator, the Church has seen virtually no structural changes over the years.

The heritage value of Knox United Church also resides in its value as a religious and cultural landmark in Saskatoon. It was constructed by the founding members of Saskatoon’s Presbyterian community and became part of the United Church of Canada in 1925. Its large size (1,200 person capacity) and excellent acoustics have made it a venue for numerous social and cultural functions, including choir and chamber music presentations. It contains the original pulpit from the old Knox Church (1900) and the organ bought from Cassavant Fréres in 1914.  A ground-level church hall has also served a variety of religious and community needs. Today, Knox United Church remains a landmark in the community.

 Source: City of Saskatoon Bylaw No. 8232/ City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database / Canadian Register of Historic Places

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Its Collegiate Gothic style of architecture, evident in:  its stepped pediments, columns, buttresses, recessed doorways, belt courses, mullions, spandrels and exposed rafters;
• Those elements that establish the ambience of the church, such as the location of the stained glass windows, and the layout of its narthex, nave and chancel; and
• Those elements that speak to its value as a religious and cultural landmark in Saskatoon, including its placement on its original parcel of land.