One of the oldest parishes in Connecticut, St. Andrew's was gathered before the American Revolution when as early as 1775 a group of Christians loyal to the Church of England met secretly for Prayer Book worship at the Moses Andrews Homestead on West Main Street, Meriden.

St. Andrew's was legally chartered in 1789, the same year George Washington was installed as president. It was also the year that the first American Book of Common prayer was published. The first American bishop was Samuel Seabury who was consecrated Bishop of Connecticut in 1784.

After the Civil War, the cornerstone of the present church at Catlin, Liberty and East Main Streets was laid in June 1866. Designed by architect Henry Dudley of New York, the church was consecrated Nov. 7, 1867. The Parish House was built in 1888.

Architecturally, St. Andrew's is a "gable-roofed Romanesque Revival" constructed of brownstone from Portland, Conn.
The interior of St. Andrew's is richly decorated with Christus Rex dominating the altar. The altar area contains handcarved choir stalls, bishop's chair and tabernacle. Also adding- to St. Andrew's history are a rich array of banners, memorial stained glass windows.

The church organ, constructed in 1967-68 by The Austin Organ Co. of Hartford, consists of 38 ranks of pipes, with an antiphonal organ placed in a rear balcony, enhanced with a trumpet rank added.

The present church is the third St. Andrew's building. The first was a 45 x 36 foot wooden structure constructed in 1810 at the corner of Broad and Olive streets where the burial ground is located. The second, built in 1848, also on Broad Street, was located near First Baptist Church and Center Congregational Church. The church outgrew the second building, and it was sold to the Roman Catholic diocese, becoming the first home of St. Rose of Lima Church.

Over its 200-year history, St. Andrew's has called 25 rectors, scores of curates and seminarians.

The building and its people have withstood wars, depressions, natural disasters.

More than 100 years ago, a St. Andrew's parishioner, and Meriden industrialist, Lemuel Curtis built The Curtis Home for children and elderly and entrusted St. Andrew's with the responsibility of maintaining its programs.

A detailed history of St. Andrew's, "Tales to Tell" was written in 1989 by longtime parishioner George Murdock, in observance of the church's bicentennial.