From the US National Register Nomination Form on file with the Texas Historical Commission: (
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“The Cotulla Downtown Historic District includes 33 total resources in central Cotulla, Texas. Within the district
are railroad tracks, brick 1-part and 2-part commercial buildings facing the railroad tracks on Front Street, the
Art Deco La Salle County Courthouse, the town plaza, and several additional historic commercial buildings with
high level of integrity. The district is approximately 17 acres in area and lies roughly between Kerr and Market
Streets, and Tilden and Carrizo Streets. Its boundary is slightly irregular in order to include the highest
concentration of historic resources. Of the 33 total resources, 21 are considered contributing. Of the eleven
noncontributing resources, seven date to the historic period of 1881 to 1952 but have poor integrity; the
remaining three postdate the period of significance.
. . .
First United Methodist Church (Resource 29)
1906
Contributing Building
The First United Methodist Church is a one-story brick church building at 302 North (Center) Street. The
building has a cross-shaped plan with shallow transepts and a cross-gabled roof with a broad front gable and
steeply pitched side gable. At the southeast corner of the building is a blocky brick tower base topped with a
wood-frame bell tower. Originally the building entrance was located within two arched openings in this corner
tower; today they have been infilled and the entrance is in a different location. The wood tower has a flared,
skirt-like section where it connects to the brick base. Above this is a square wood shaft topped by a pedimentlike
gabled projection on each side. Finally, the tower is crowned with a tall, octagonal, wood-shingled
pinnacle. The building’s front façade faces Center Street, and contains two round-arched windows with brick
window trim. The church’s brick has been painted, so it is unknown if contrasting brickwork existed. On the
east, Stewart Street elevation, are three round-arched windows topped by hood molds. The gable ends are clad
in patterned wood shingles, and the roof has a shallow cornice overhang.
In 1928 an education building was added to the north side of the church, and its roof was tied in with that of the
main structure. The education wing is a front-gabled volume that faces Stewart Street. Its front façade has three
bays—a central single entry door flanked by single double hung windows on the first floor, and three single
double hung windows above. The gable end is shingled. The north elevation of this wing faces Tilden Street
and contains five double hung windows on each floor. A second church addition was built in circa 1955. This
addition is a one-story, L-shaped volume that is joined to the education wing at the rear. Together, the church
building, education wing and later L-shaped addition create a cloister-like U-shaped central courtyard. An open,
arcaded walkway connects the church and the 1955 addition and further reinforces the cloister-like design."
Additionally, the State of Texas has erected a historic marker at this site that reads as follows:
"The First United Methodist Church of Cotulla
The first Protestant church in Cotulla, this congregation was organized in 1881 as the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The first services were held in the home of John Freeman by the Rev. W. H. Keck. In 1883 the members built a frame chapel at the site of the present parsonage. The only church facility in town, it was shared with Presbyterian and Baptist congregations. The current brick sanctuary was constructed in 1906 during the pastorate of the Rev. Temple G. Woolls. An educational building was added in 1928. (1980)"