"First Presbyterian Church - Pittsburgh, PA" Waymark

The First Presbyterian Church, 320 Sixth Ave., is the church of a congregation organized in 1784; its first structure was erected in 1789 upon a Penn land grant. The present building, designed by Theophilus Chandler and completed in 1905, is a Gothic structure of sandstone. The central beams which support the roof, 84 feet long 2 feet square, are said to be the longest timbers ever brought into Pittsburgh. On the Sixth Avenue facade is a 'Geneva Pulpit' from which open-air services are conducted.
---Pennsylvania, A Guide to the Keystone State, 1940

From the First Presbyterian web site:
The First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh is one of the oldest Protestant entities west of the Allegheny Mountains. Roots of Presbyterianism in Pittsburgh go back to 1758 when the British defeated the French at Fort Duquesne, at the point of Pittsburgh's three rivers. Upon this defeat, the name was changed to Fort Pitt, later to become "Pitts burg." In thanksgiving to God, a small group of Presbyterians gathered with a young Presbyterian minister (Chaplain to General Forbes), Charles Beatty, for a service of praise. This group of believers continued meeting together in residents' homes, and on April 14, 1773* their first "call" for a minister was delivered to Donegal Presbytery. Two young men, David McClure and Levi Frisbie, were supplied to serve the area and, thus, the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh was born.

The period following the end of the American Revolutionary War (1775 - 1783) saw the city begin to grow to national and international importance, with First Church an integral part of Pittsburgh's life as it still is today--"The Church in the Heart of the City with the City in its Heart!"

In 1787, 2.5 lots of ground--originally used as an Indian burial ground--were deeded to the congregation by the heirs of William Penn. On this land the church's first building was constructed, using the material of the day--logs. As membership grew, the second building--this one of yellow brick--was erected in 1805 in a unique way. The new structure was put up around the small log church, and services could continue in the little log cabin while progress was made on the new structure! Upon completion, the logs were handed out through the windows and doors for use elsewhere in this early "frontier town." This building served until 1853 when an even larger one was erected and used for 50 years. In 1903 the cornerstone was laid for the present church, completed in 1905 and dedicated on Palm Sunday, April 16. At this service, Dr. Maitland Alexander (senior minister) dedicated the new church "to Almighty God; to His worship and service, to the cause of his Kingdom, to the salvation of the men and women of this great city, through the cross of Christ."

In this new millennium, First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh continues its strong ministry. In its long history, First Church has had only 14 senior pastors, all of whom were dedicated to the mission of Jesus Christ not only in this city but throughout the world.

More detailed history of our church can be found in two books written by a former associate pastor of First Church, the Rev. Ernest E. Logan, The Church That Was Twice Born and The Church That Kept On Being Born Again. Both can be found in the church library and are also available for purchase.

Guided tours of the church are conducted each Sunday following the 10:45 a.m. service. Group tours can be arranged with the church historian by phoning the church office at 412-471-3436.

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