Nelson’s oldest church building, First Presbyterian Church was built in 1892, with an addition in 1898, designed by the well known local architect Alexander Carrie. In 1897 the church was renamed "St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. In November of 1912 it was sold to the First Church of Christ, Scientists.
Following Church Union in 1925 a small number from the Presbyterian congregation chose to re-purchase the original Presbyterian building, and re-named it "First Presbyterian Church." It has been known as Trinity Presbyterian Church since 2008.
A chronology of the monikers this church has possessed:
¶ 1892: First Presbyterian Church
¶ 1912: Christian Science Church
¶ 1927: First Presbyterian Church
¶ 2008: Trinity Church
Though the excerpt below refers to the building as being of Carpenter Gothic style, I believe that to be in error, as it lacks all of the gaudy embellishments and scroll saw work commonly applied to classical Carpenter Gothic structures. This church is more in the style of simple Gothic Revival.
The simplicity of form and construction is in marked contrast to churches built less than a decade later in the same area of town, the lower reaches of the Uphill neighbourhood. The church is a good example of 19th century wood-frame frontier church architecture in Carpenter Gothic style, seen in its simple pointed-arch window openings, square steepled tower, and coloured glass windows. Work commenced in 1892, however did not finish until the architect Alexander Carrie was retained and two additions were completed in 1898 and 1899.
From the Nelson Heritage Register
This church is number 23 on the Nelson
Heritage Register, 2011.