1917-1918 - Central Presbyterian Church - Waxahachie, TX
N 32° 23.349 W 096° 50.701
14S E 702705 N 3585613
The Central Presbyterian Church was begun in 1917, completed in 1918, and put into use on Easter of 1919. It is located at 402 N. College St, Waxahachie, TX, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Waymark Code: WMN4PP
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 12/26/2014
Views: 6
Services are every Sunday at 11 AM. The cornerstone tips us off to the important years, but the church website has some interesting reading about the building: (
visit link)
In 1918-19, the members of Central Presbyterian Church (CPC) had again outgrown our building and to keep pace with the progress of Waxahachie and Trinity University, a new structure was begun. The building constructed in 1905 was razed and another built on the same lot. Designed by architect C.D. Hill, this late Gothic Revival building was constructed of oriental brick trimmed in white stone, with a seating capacity of approximately one thousand. The cost of the building and furnishings was $112,522, of which Mr. P. A. Chapman gave about $70,000. Mr. and Mrs. Homer Chapman gave the pipe organ, which is an Austin Opus 809, which is still in operation. The congregation raised the staggering sum of $112,500 and constructed the grand, beautiful brick church that stands today.
The building was first used on Easter of 1919 with the Reverend G. H. Hogan, D.D. serving as minister. The service of dedication was held May 9, 1920. The dedication sermon was given by Dr. James E. Clarke, of Nashville, Tennessee, editor of The Presbyterian Advance. Then a pipe organ recital was given in the afternoon by John Bert Graham, Sr. A sacred Cantata was presented in the evening.
The church property was incorporated June 12, 1929, with Mr. J. T. Andrews, Mr. R. S. Middleton, and Mr. N. M. Jones serving as Trustees. In the 1920s, we reached our height of membership with 751 on the roll in 1928. The church was filled with students and faculty of Trinity University, many of whom assisted in our Sunday School classrooms and teaching positions. We continued our mission relationship with Trinity until its move to San Antonio, Texas, in 1942.
By 1948, many improvements were made to the church building, both inside and outside. The primary improvement was the Patrick Memorial Chapel, which was formerly the Philathea class room. The chapel, complete with altar, chancel rail, lectern, and pews was a gift of Miss Emma Patrick in memory of her mother and father, Captain and Mrs. M. T. Patrick. Captain Patrick was the chairman of the building committee that constructed the first church on this site. Through the years, many more improvements have been made to the church. It is a beautiful structure with magnificent stained glass windows for all to enjoy.
There is a Texas Historical Marker here which provides some background on the congregation:
Central Presbyterian Church began as a Cumberland Presbyterian church in 1853, with twelve charter members led by the Rev. Daniel G. Molloy. The congregation met in a building on land donated by William Irwin until 1862, when it began sharing space in the Methodist church building with other local churches. The Presbyterian church built its own sanctuary in 1869-70 and moved it to this site in 1892. During the 1890s, the congregation helped bring Trinity University to Waxahachie, which greatly increased membership. Although the university later moved to San Antonio, the church continued to grow in programs, service and outreach, including a close relationship with the Presbyterian Children's Service.