In 1901, 40 families of Danish Lutheran immigrants migrated from northern Wisconsin to the village then known as Modello Florida. The settlement grew and in 1904 was incorporated as the municipality of Dania. The Lutherans in this new town wanted a church but their Synod sent word that there was no interest in establishing a church in Dania.
The missionary Diocese of South, part of the Episcopal Church thought however that Dania was a promising area for a new church planting. so the soon-to-be former Lutherans invited bishop William Gray to spend a few days with them to tell them about the Episcopal Church. Bishop Gray arrived on the noon train, met briefly with the prospective Episcopalians and thoroughly bitten by Daniel's mosquitoes, departed in haste on the 5:00 PM train.
Mosquitoes notwithstanding, the Bishop and the diocese supported the desire of the people of Dania for a church. In 1907, after meeting for six months in the private residence of Dr. Royal Klinkenberg on Tiger Tail Road, they moved to the second floor of a building on the corner of Dania Beach Boulevard and Dixie Highway.
The first building for what is now St. John's Episcopal Church stood on Federal Highway in Dania. Around 1914, a small framed building was acquired and used as a church. The approximate location was on the East-side of Dixie Highway, where the current Alex's Flamingo Groves is now located. Church records indicate that St. Mary's Guild of women paid $14.50 to clean the lots up for the parish. They met one a month except during the summer.The church did well in its early years, but was a mission church, dependent upon lay readers and supply clergy.
Between 1917 and 1926, there ws a small but accelerated growth as the area around the church developed. Reocords do not show who the Clery where, but it was believed a priest, Rev. R.D. Tracy from All Saints Church in Fort Lauderdale held services twice a month. Saint John's served from this location during a period of growth as the area was developed until 1926. On September 18, 1926, the area was completely destroyed by a hurricane. The small building which housed St. John's was destroyed except for the altar and altar cross, which are still being used for worship at St. John's today.
Mr. Paul Vogel sang traded the property in Dania for three lots on the corner of Buchanan and 17th St. in Hollywood and began to build during the winter of 1926. A simple bare concrete block building though unfinished was occupied for its first service on Easter day April 17, 1927 the pews were planks placed on top of orange crates. According to church records they were 62 people in attendance at this 4:00 PM service.
Some of the altar furnishings found in our church today, the pulpit and lectern as examples came as a gift from Christ Church, Brownsville New York. Our Bishops seat, clergy seating, paneling altar headboard and other pieces were all hand carved by Walter Smith, a retired woodcarver and communicant of St. John's until his death in 1958. Mr. Smith learned his skill in England at the age of 14. The Oak wood reredos alone took over 600 hours to complete.
After years of supply, interim and short tenure clergy, the Re. Harold C Williamson arrived as vicar on December 14, 1947. He became the rector of the parish shortly after. In 1948, a rectory was built qt 1143 Buchanan Street for the rector and his family. The property had been purchased back in 1937 for $240.00. In 1949 work began on a new a parish hall which was built on the lot next door to the church which was completed in 1951. Fr. Williamson's tenure at Saint John's was a period of high growth. Membership rose from 65 in 1947 to 725 in 1962.
In the 1950's a number of projects were completed. Two additions on the church buildings, the acquisition of an apartment building (no longer present) and construction on the east wing of the church. In 1954, work was completed on expanding the name of the church to the west and the removal of three pillars which was thought to be an impossible task. Engineers install turn blocks to replace the supporting pillows, which can still be seen today. During the next several years, parcels of property required west of the church until the entire south side of Buchanan Street between 17th Ave. and Federal Highway become the property of St. John's. Having grown, St. John's organized a meeting in 1956 to discuss the possibility of starting a new mission churches in the West Hollywood area. Saint James in the hills was organized May 1, 1962 and holy Sacrament was organized March 1, 1956 in the West Hollywood community house located at 805 Hollywood Parkway.
The Women of the church opened a thrift shop called the episcopal House of treasures in the summer of 1956, renting property on N. 21st Ave., The shop prospered over the years and in December 1970, Ground was broken for the building of a new House of treasures are the corner of Federal Highway and Buchanan. This ministry continued until 2022. It is important to note, during this time of extensive growth for St. John's that one of its biggest benefactors was Colonel Robert Pentland. Colonel Pentland was the owner of the food store chain Piggly Wiggly later known as Winn Dixie. Turn off Petland advanced the sum needed to purchase the site for Saint James in the Hills. He also provided most of the funds used to remodel the church, to build the church school building which is named after his mother Amy Baron Pentland, and also the funds to purchase the building which now houses our church offices which at one time was a triplex apartment. He also provided the funds used to build the church conference center. Today, 2023, these buildings have been refurbished to house the new Nana's Preschool center, a tremendous asset to the city of Hollywood.
Outside the front of our church rests a large bronze sculpture. It depicts Open Bible with the Lord's prayer on the left page and a bass relief of our Lord and Savior kneeling in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane on the right. This memorial once stood in the Flagler Memorial Park in Miami. The wife of the former owner of the park, Mrs Arthur V Dickerson conceived the idea for this memorial and commissioned the Gorman bronze company to create it in 1935. The sculptor was Giovanni D'ste. The plaque is 3 feet by 6 feet and weighs 400 pounds. It was placed in its present location in September 1967, given as a gift to St. John's by Colonel Robert Pentland Jr in memory of his mother Annie Barro Pentland. A service of benediction celebrated the plaque in October 1967.
Special thanks to Mrs. Patricia Carter for recording this history for future generations
