First Presbyterian Church
(Side 1):
The Presbyterians were granted one of the original church lots in the 1828 Columbus plan. It was on the North side of Chapel St. between Second and Third Avenues. The fourteen charter members, received in 1830, were: Edward Featherston, William Root, James S. Norman, Richard T. Marks, David Dean, Thomas B. McCreary, John Johnson, Mrs. Jane L. Marks, Mrs. Leah J. Norman, Mrs. Harriet A. Root, Mrs. Miriam Dean, Mrs. Sarah DeGraffenried, Mrs. Eliza Bullock, Miss Rebecca Featherston. In 1831 the congregation was granted a lot at the N.E. corner of Second Ave. and Tenth St., where services were held for thirty years. The move to Eleventh St. and First Ave. came in 1862.
(Side 2):
The First Presbyterian Church building on the Northeast corner of Eleventh St. and First Ave. was dedicated in 1862. In 1891 the sanctuary was severely damaged by fire. It reopened for services in 1893. After the fire, the “city” clock was placed in the bell tower. The design of the building is Romanesque. Wings were constructed in 1925 and a free-standing chapel in 1952. Renovations were made in 1969 and an addition in 1974. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. was hosted by First Church in 1982, when the vote to reunite the U.S. and U.S.A. churches was taken. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Marker is at the intersection of First Avenue and 11th Street, on the right when traveling north on First Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
