1848-1917 - First United Methodist Church of Van Alstyne - Van Alstyne, TX
N 33° 25.206 W 096° 34.515
14S E 725457 N 3700489
Built in 1917, the First United Methodist Church of Van Alstyne is at 303 S Preston St, Van Alstyne, TX.
Waymark Code: WMXDY5
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 12/31/2017
Views: 2
A 1972 Texas Historical Marker provides some background:
Outgrowth of Liberty Class, formed 1847 for Bible study and worship, in log cabin of Jim Creager (1.25 mi. S) by the Rev. Joab Biggs, of the Dallas Methodist circuit, and M. F. Cole. In 1855, after a rainstorm that detained quarterly conference delegates to listen to an all-night sermon, the Rev. Y.S. McKinney preached for three weeks and had 60 conversions. The enlarged class moved to Mantua, where it built a frame chapel on the town square and was renamed Mt. Zion Methodist Church. At founding of Van Alstyne on Houston & Texas Central Railroad in 1873, Mt. Zion moved its building into town, to a site now in Van Alstyne Cemetery. By 1890 membership exceeded 400. The congregation in 1893 moved again, erecting a larger building at Waco and Jefferson Streets, and changing name to First Methodist Church. In this sanctuary in 1894 there was organized the first district Epworth League of the Southern Methodist Church. Here in 1912 ex-president Theodore Roosevelt gave an address, and in 1917 one of Texas' earliest Boy Scout troops was formed.
Present sanctuary was completed and dedicated in 1917, with dedicatory sermon given by the Rev. Sam R. Hay. The present name was given after a national ecumenical accord was reached in 1968.
Year of construction: 1917
Full inscription:
M.E. Church
South
1848-1917
Cross-listed waymark: Not listed
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