First Presbyterian Church of Meridian

Infobox_nrhp2 | name =First Presbyterian Church of Meridian


caption =
location= Meridian, Mississippi
lat_degrees = 32
lat_minutes = 21
lat_seconds = 59
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 88
long_minutes = 42
long_seconds = 6
long_direction = W
locmapin = Mississippi
map_caption = Location of First Presbyterian Church in Mississippi
area =
built =1913
architect= Penn Jeffries Krouse
architecture= Late Gothic Revival
added = December 18, 1979
governing_body = Private
mpsub= [http://www.nr.nps.gov/multiples/64000416.pdf Meridian MRA]
refnum=79003391cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

First Presbyterian Church of Meridian is a historic church in Meridian, Mississippi, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979. The church was founded in 1856 by eight members including John T. Ball and Lewis A. Ragsdale, founders of the city of Meridian. The reverend at the time was William Curtis Emerson. [http://www.fpcmeridian.com/default2.aspx?pid=2 First Presbyterian Church of Meridian Official Website] ]

From 1856 to 1867, the church met in the second floor of a store owned by one of the members. In 1867, the church had grown enough to construct a building on the corner of 25th Avenue and 7th Street in which to hold its services. After a fire on January 27, 1883, the building was destroyed; members of the church later rebuilt the structure using brick instead of wood. The church remained at its location on 25th Avenue and 7th Street until September 25, 1911, when it was sold to the city of Meridian. The city currently uses the building to house the Meridian Museum of Art.

After selling the old building, the church bought a lot at the corner of 23rd Avenue and 10th Street. The building was built in 1913 by Penn Jeffries Krouse and dedicated on March 29, 1914. In 1951, an educational building addition used for Sunday School was completed under the leadership of pastor Dr. J. Kelly Unger, and the sanctuary was renovated in 1982. In October 1996, the church bought an adjacent building which became the Administration & Education Building and is presently used for staff offices as well as both Adult Sunday School and committee meetings.

External Links

* [http://www.fpcmeridian.com/default2.aspx?pid=2 First Presbyterian Church of Meridian Official Website]

References