Saint Philip’s was founded in 1936. When the first service was held on Christmas Eve, the congregation overflowed the seating capacity. Built in the style Spanish Colonial architecture, also called Neo-Mission, Saint Philip’s is similar to the Franciscan mission churches built in California over 400 years ago.
Tucsonans John and Helen Murphey had asked architect Josias Joesler to build a private chapel for them at their home. Instead, he persuaded them to build a small church at the corner of two dirt roads: Campbell and River.
This was also a dream of Father George Ferguson—a temporary supply minister in Tucson. He envisioned a place where beauty dwelt, where the glory of God was exemplified, and where learning (for children, youth, and adults) was an ever-present part of people’s lives.
Although it has undergone several expansions as the congregation grew, the integrity of Joesler’s design has been maintained in the buildings. In the mid-1980s, an art gallery, a memorial garden, the east and west transepts and a campanile, which houses the carillon, were added. During the summer of 1998, a Children’s Center and Recital Hall were built.
Saint Philip’s is on the National Register of Historic Places.