FORMER Central Christian Church - Weatherford, TX - Continental Reformed and Congregational Church Sites on Waymarking.com

This beautiful building is a contributing building in the Weatherford Downtown Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register's Registration Form doesn't say much about the sanctuary beyond noting that the Parker County Museum had been here at one time, and mentioning the use of rough-face limestone and a square-plan with a corner tower that evokes English tradition.

The Brownstone Church is a non-denominational congregation who meets here once a week, while the primary use is as a facility for weddings, the Brownstone Wedding Chapel. Their website reveals that the sanctuary was originally built for the Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), just a short time after they acquired the site. In 1924, the church had grown to the point that an annex was constructed, along with an elevated baptistery inside the sanctuary, and by 1950, there was once again the need for more space. Under the supervision of a church member who was a local contractor, a basement was dug underneath the facilities, an amazing feat given the compacted dirt and rock that pass for soil in North Texas. Some remodeling was done in 1953, along with the addition of air conditioning and memorial windows. By the end of the decade, though, there was a call for more growth.

The congregation is still with us, but south of here, closer to I-20. They purchased land in 1960 and left here in 1964 for their new facilities. A 1990 Texas Historical Marker there provides some details, both past and present, and the sanctuary is mentioned specifically:

This congregation was founded in 1894 by sixty-five former members of the First Christian Church (now South Main Church of Christ). Known in its early years as Central Church of Christ or Central Christian Church, the congregation's first pastor was the Reverend W.H. Bagby. W.R. Vivrett and F.O. McKinsey served as the first elders, and the first Board of Deacons consisted of W.H. Hemphill, W.B. Wells, and W.K. Shropshire.

The congregation's first building was a stone structure located at the corner of West Oak and Houston Streets, one block south of the courthouse square. Dedicated on May 13, 1894, and enlarged in later years, it continued to serve the members for seventy years.

The Whitt Christian Church in northwest Parker County disbanded in the 1950s, making the Central Christian Church the only Disciples of Christ congregation in Parker County. The need soon arose for larger church facilities. Land at this site was purchased in 1960, and a new sanctuary was dedicated on May 10, 1964. The original church building became a museum.

An important part of Parker County history since its founding, Central Christian Church continues to serve the community with a variety of worship, educational, and outreach programs.

Reformed or Congregational Denomination: Disciples of Christ Associated Website: [Web Link] Status: Converted to other use Address: 112 W Oak St Weatherford, TX USA 76086 Date of Construction or Event Occurrence: 05/13/1894 Architect: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   12/14/2019 WalksfarTX visited it