Church of the Good Shepherd
Religious Site· 19th Century· Charpentier District

Church of the Good Shepherd

National Register of Historic Places

Built in 1896 and separately listed on the National Register seven years before the Charpentier District that surrounds it, this Episcopal church at 715 Kirkman Street is one of the oldest surviving structures in Lake Charles. Its Gothic Revival carpentry — steep gable roof, pointed-arch windows, board-and-batten siding — was executed entirely in the local longleaf pine that the Charpentier carpenters knew best. The church predates the 1910 fire and survived it, making it one of the few buildings in Lake Charles that bridges the lumber-era city and the one that replaced it.

Quick facts
  • ·Built 1896 at 715 Kirkman Street
  • ·Gothic Revival design executed in local longleaf pine
  • ·Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1983) — seven years before the surrounding district
  • ·One of the oldest surviving structures in Lake Charles
  • ·Survived the Great Fire of 1910 that destroyed much of downtown
  • ·Episcopal congregation still active

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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.