TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A historic church with deep connections to the city’s founders is set to receive a significant restoration as Willets Glass Studios removes and refurbishes its stained glass windows this week. The windows, now part of Rock Creek Community Church, will be restored in the studio’s facility in Winona, Minnesota.
Stained glass is less common in 2025 than it was at the dawn of the last century, resulting in fewer businesses skilled in stained glass craftsmanship. The windows, hailed as works of art, possess a special significance for longtime church member Vera Reed.
“They're pretty lovely windows, aren't they?” said Reed, proudly admiring the glass. “They are, they are and those were put in there by Mrs. Perrine.”
The name “Perrine” resonates throughout the Magic Valley. I.B. Perrine, credited with founding Twin Falls and several neighboring towns, was instrumental in securing funding for the Milner Dam and the irrigation canals that transformed the high desert into a flourishing agricultural region. The church, built in 1905 as the town's first Baptist church, was also significant to I.B. Perrine’s wife, Hortense, who was a member.
“She put those in there,” Reed noted, highlighting the personal connection the family had to the church and its features.
Rock Creek Church moved into the location in 1999, and extensive restoration of the building was undertaken, according to retired pastor Mark Browne.
“We painted, roofed, and carpeted out the kazoo,” Browne said. "When I came here, I didn’t think I was. I would be so involved in the bricks and mortar of a building."
For Reed and many fellow congregants, the stained glass windows represent a vital piece of Twin Falls' history that must be preserved. She and her late friend John Butler advocated for the windows' restoration.
“We're really proud of those because they are so old and have lasted this long. And as far as I know, they have never been repaired,” Reed said. “John has passed away, but in honor of him, I'm taking it all through.”
The refurbishment process is expected to take four to five months, after which the stained glass windows will be returned to their rightful places in the historic building, ensuring that a legacy from the early days of Twin Falls endures.
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