Our Story

In 1859, the Louisiana Diocese established the Emmanuel mission on the corner of Berlin (now General Pershing) and Magazine streets which met in the Town Hall of what was then called Jefferson City. The congregation was incorporated as a parish, and Louisiana’s first Episcopal Bishop, Leonidas Polk, confirmed members before becoming a General in the Confederate Army.

In 1871, the congregation divided with the formation of St. Mark’s church which met at St. Charles and Valence. The two congregations consolidated again in 1874 at this location that served the parish until the present St. George’s was built in 1899. Part of the wood from the old church was used to construct the rectory, which is still in use today.

As an expression of its mission to reach out into the community, church leaders founded St. George’s Episcopal School in 1969. The school’s first classes met in the church undercroft. Today, the children of St. George’s School meet in their own school buildings on the School’s Camp street campus. One of the school buildings is on the site of the original Emmanuel meeting site.

In 1973, The Rev'd William P. Richardson held a small prayer service for the 32 victims of arson at the UpStairs Lounge, a gay bar in the French Quarter. Afterwards, he was admonished by the Right Rev'd Iverson B. Noland, the Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana, and by some members of his Vestry.

He continued to advocate for the LGBT community in the New Orleans community and the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, calling on the church to welcome lesbians and gay men. His activism earned him a place of civic recognition in the community.

Enrique Alférez is considered one of New Orleans’ artistic treasures. His sculptures adorn the city from downtown to the lakefront.

Joining the Mexican Revolution as a teenager, he rode with Gen. Pancho Villa, whose raid on a small border town caused the U.S. Army to launch a nine-month expedition into Mexico in an unsuccessful attempt to capture Villa. In his 20s, he migrated to El Paso, Texas. He studied at the Art Institute in Chicago with Lorado Taft.