First Presbyterian Church of Dallas

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First Presbyterian Church
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Harwood Historic District structures including the First Presbyterian Church (far left)
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First Presbyterian Church
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First Presbyterian Church
32°46′46″N96°47′37″W / 32.77944°N 96.79361°W / 32.77944; -96.79361 Coordinates: 32°46′46″N96°47′37″W / 32.77944°N 96.79361°W / 32.77944; -96.79361
Location1835 Young St.,
Dallas, Texas
CountryUnited States
Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA)
Website First Presbyterian Church of Dallas
Architecture
Architect(s) C. D. Hill & Company
Style Neoclassical Revival
Years built1912 [1]
First Presbyterian Church and Activities Building
Location401 S. Harwood St.
Part of Dallas Downtown Historic District (ID08001299 [2] )
DLMK No. H/16
DLMKHD No. H/48 (Harwood HD)
Significant dates
Designated CPJanuary 9, 2009
Designated DLMKOctober 21, 1981 [3]
Designated DLMKHDFebruary 28, 1990 [4]

First Presbyterian Church of Dallas is a historic congregation at 1835 Young Street in the Farmers Market District of downtown Dallas, Texas (USA). The current building is a contributing property in the Harwood Street Historic District and a Dallas Landmark. The congregation was founded in 1856 as the first U.S. (Southern) Presbyterian Church organized in Dallas, and is the mother church from which many other Presbyterian churches in the area have stemmed.

Contents

History

First Presbyterian Church of Dallas was founded February 3, 1856, by the Rev. Robert Hamilton Byers, stated supply minister for Presbyterian churches in Rusk and Henderson counties. The church began with eleven members. It lacked a formal place of worship so members met at various times in private homes, a blacksmith shop, a lumber yard, the courthouse, and a printing shop. [5]

In 1873 the congregation erected its first owned building at Elm and Ervay streets. Its second home was built in 1882 at Harwood and Main streets, the first brick church in Dallas. By 1897 this structure had been enlarged and so extensively remodeled that it was considered to be a new (third) building. The style was Victorian eclectic.

The present sanctuary and Harwood Street Educational Building at Harwood and Wood, the congregation's fourth home, were built in 1911–12 by the Alex Watson Construction Company and opened on March 2, 1913. The Greek Revival church edifice was designed by C. D. Hill & Company, a prominent Dallas architecture firm. [1] The Corinthian columns that flank the entrance doors on Harwood and Wood Streets are monolithic—the first in Dallas. Each column was shipped to Dallas on a separate flatcar from Indiana. [5]

The exterior walls contain the original pictorial windows of "art glass." These were prepared by the Kansas City Stained Glass Works Company and shipped to Dallas in 1912. The interior design is a modified Akron Plan. The Akron plan was developed by Akron, Ohio architects (1900–1920) to promote efficiency of movement by congregants between worship and Sunday School. This plan is characterized by a semicircular amphitheater with curved seating, opening to classrooms immediately adjacent to the Sanctuary. [5]

The current minister is Rev. Amos J. Disasa

Community involvement

Since its early days First Presbyterian has been providing social services in Dallas.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "City of Dallas, Texas – Designated Landmark Structures". Dallascityhall.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  3. Lee E. Holt (October 21, 1981). "Ordinance No. 17172" (PDF). City of Dallas. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  4. Larry E. Casto (March 31, 2018). "Ordinance No. 30812" (PDF). City of Dallas. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Welcome to First Presbyterian Church of Dallas: Our History". www.firstpresdallas.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26.