First Presbyterian Church Bell Tower - Monticello, FL
N 30° 32.757 W 083° 52.119
17R E 224796 N 3382786
The First Presbyterian Church, also known as the Monticello Presbyterian Church, was built in 1841 and is located in historic downtown Monticello, Florida, USA.
Waymark Code: WMBW72
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 06/26/2011
Views: 1
"The First Presbyterian Church had its origin with families meeting in homes in the 1830's. In 1839, they began soliciting pledges for a building. They were officially organized as Monticello Presbyterian Church July 4, 1840, a member of Georgia Presbytery. Florida Presbytery was not formed until the next year. Joshua Phelps was the pastor. Meetings were held in the courthouse or Jefferson Academy until the building was erected. Lot #55 was purchased for $200 on January 20, 1841, and the building was erected shortly afterward, using native woods and bricks hauled by ox carts from South Carolina. In 1853 a manse was built on East Washington Street on land given by Ellen A. Beatty White.
The church building is one of few remaining Greek Revival religious buildings from the mid-nineteenth century in Florida. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and The American Presbyterian/Reformed Historical Sites Registry. The porch and columns of the red brick building are plastered and painted white. There are shutters and eight tall, twenty-four pane windows, which have most of the original lead glass panes. The simple cone-shaped steeple, on a square pedestal, houses the five hundred pound bell installed in 1882. A central double door with stained glass transom is flanked on either side by single doors. Inside is intricate, handmade woodwork. A Roman arch behind the pulpit frames the Gothic-styled stained glass window, given by Dr. Thomas Palmer in memory of his daughter and son."
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