First United Methodist Church, Watertown, South Dakota - Methodist Churches on Waymarking.com

The first service of this new Methodist church was held in the home of D.S. Richardson in May of 1878. Reverend Seymore Snyder is credited with building a small parsonage while services were held in a school house.

In 1880 a new lot was purchased and the parsonage was moved to the east side of the lot. In 1888 a new church building was started at a cost of $15,000.

In 1907 a new parsonage was built and the old one sold for $650.

From 1912 to 1917, Franklin F. Lewis, became pastor of the church. His most obvious accomplishment was the building of the current church which commenced in 1914. The church raised $47,000 in pledges for the new building and in June of 1914, specifications were presented and the contract let to the Brickell Construction Company of Watertown. The last service in the old church was held on June 21, 1914, after which the church was razed and interim services were held at the Metropolitan Theater located in the Lincoln Hotel. Architect Harry Jones of Minneapolis oversaw construction as the First Methodist Episcopal Church rose on its present site, a gleaming gothic-style cathedral built of Colfax sand stone. The new church was dedicated on October 17, 1915 with a special address from a previous pastor, Reverend Shepherd.

Active church?: Yes Year Built: 1917 Service times: Saturday - 5 pm Sunday - 8:30 and 10 am Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   03/28/2016 manicgecko visited it