Trinity United Methodist Church traces its beginnings to the old Methodist Episcopal Church, South, formed in December 1858, and the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Chico. Originally, the South church met in members’ homes and any large hall that could be found to house them. Eventually, it settled into a wooden building at Sixth and Broadway and became known as Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church, South. A year later, First Methodist Episcopal Church of Chico was formed and settled in a building at Fourth and Salem Streets.
Both little churches struggled for survival. Some years there was no ordained pastor was available and the churches depended on lay pastors for leadership. Often, they struggled to pay their pastor a living wage. Pastor Bly of First Church was given a surprise Thanksgiving party in 1870 when ladies of the church brought food and a gift of over one hundred dollars for his family.
In 1873 the ladies of First Church held a two-day festival in Wood’s hall. A program was given and ice cream sold, the proceeds of which were used to pay for plastering the church’s interior, and buying a bell. The bell was bought, installed and rung for the first time to summon worshippers to Sunday School on September 1, 1873. The South church got their bell the same year. It was a gift from John Guill, a prominent member. The bell, dubbed “Lizzie,” is still rung on special occasions. Today, it is located near a side entrance, the bell door, to Trinity Church.
Early Chico newspapers report numerous box suppers and strawberry and peach festivals put on by the ladies of the two churches. About the time the bells were purchased, the Women’s Foreign Missionary Societies and the Women’s Home Missionary Societies, forerunners of today’s United Methodist Women, were organized.
In 1939, both churches merged to form Trinity Methodist Church. Ground was broken for the church at the current location of 5th and Flume Streets. When the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren churches merged in 1968, the church was renamed the United Methodist Church.
The church entrance/doorway contains very elaborate brickwork. The original bell from the church's South congregation stands on the south side of the building, near a peace pole. The church building itself contains Spanish Colonial Revival elements throughout.