First Presbyterian Church - Gainesville, TX
N 33° 37.284 W 097° 08.548
14S E 672308 N 3721725
Constructed in 1912, the historic First Presbyterian Church is at 401 S Denton St, Gainesville, TX.
Waymark Code: WM1CE2K
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 08/05/2025
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The church is active on Facebook (see Secondary Website), while their website (see Primary website) is quite informative, providing a very nice history:
The First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville was organized on June 6, 1879 as a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. with nine charter members. The original church building was a 2-story structure at Main and Lindsay Streets. It was occupied on April 22, 1883. On February 1, 1906 a consolidation between the Cumberland and First Presbyterian churches was consummated. The cornerstone of the current church building was laid on September 8, 1912 and gas lights were installed. The church was extensively remodeled and restored from 1956 through 1959 and again in 1977. Ninety-three stained glass windows grace the building. The sanctuary design was based on the Akron plan popular at the time. A Celtic cross high atop the steeple bell tower denotes its Presbyterian heritage and carillon music regularly rings from the steeple, reminding the community of spiritual aspirations.
There's no indication as to how many bells are in the carillon, but they do elaborate about the organ:
The first organ was installed in 1917. The current organ is the second one purchased by the congregation and has been completely rebuilt. The frontal pipes and woodwork are a part of the original organ. The present organ contains 22 stops, 22 ranks, 1225 pipes with swell-great, swell-pedal, and great-pedal couplers. The organ enriches the Gainesville community with its use for special musical events and recitals.
A 2022 Texas Historical Marker in front of the church notes it as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and provides a history that pretty much overlaps what the church's website says, referencing its Gothic Revival architecture, including the architect, William A. Cann, as well as the stained glass windows and the Felgemarker organ. One of Mr. Cann's other churches, the Austin Avenue Methodist Church in Waco, was a virtual twin of this one, and it burned in 1954.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) website indicates a membership of about 75 people in 2023/2024, with about 40 of them active.
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