"Affectionately known as "Uncle John" and was referred to as the Father of South Broadway Christian Church. The Church owes its existence to a rather unique set of circumstances. In 1888, John Sutton and his wife, Henrietta, lived near South Broadway and Bayaud Avenue. Henrietta loved flowers and was in her garden that summer when she died at the age of 54. The Reverend Bayard Craig, pastor of Central Christian Church, was called. His words and prayers were a great comfort to the Suttons in the last hours of Henrietta's life.
One year later in1889, John Sutton called Reverend Craig of the Central Christan Church with a proposal to honor the death of his wife, Henrietta. He offered to donate $12,000 and all of his assets if Reverend Craig would help him start a new church in the South Broadway area. He made one request, that he be given the use of two rooms in the tower of the church where he could live out the remainder of his days.
The growth of the new church was phenomenal and John Sutton erected a large tent (they called it a "Tabernacle") near his home on South Broadway. For the next 2 years church services were held in the tent and attendance grew to between 500 and 600 people. Heating in the winter months was provided by potbellied stoves. When it rained the people brought umbrellas as the roof was not waterproof. On June 28, 1891, the cornerstone was laid with Colorado Governor John L. Routt officiating at the ceremony. One of the articles placed beneath the stone was the bible of Mrs. Henrietta Sutton. John Sutton died two years later on February 18, 1901, at the age of 81." Quoted from SBCC
Sources: (1) https://www.southbroadway.org/history
Image Source: Denver Public LIbrary, Digital Collections, Western History Call Number: CHS-B178 and South Broadway Christian Church's Personal Collection
