The beautiful and historic First Presbyterian Church of Atchison KS is 1/2 block south of the Atchison County Courthouse.
The church hosts a COOL Missouri River Commission bolt benchmark, NGS PID KE0486, designation 270.
From the First Presbyterian Church of Atchison's website: (
visit link)
"150 Years and Counting
The First Presbyterian Church of Atchison was organized on October 21, 1851 with the help of Rev. Alexander W. Pitzer and the Presbytery of Highland. In the months following its establishment the church met in halls, store-rooms and private residences, being maintained despite the lack of appropriate surroundings through the service of visiting ministers. Rev. Julius Spencer arrived as the first settled pastor on April 1, 1859. Having continued to find a worshipping space in a variety of locations, the congregation built Presbyterian Hall, on the east side of Fourth street between Commercial and Main, and with the arrival of Rev. E. P. Lewis, the congregation moved in on April 30, 1865.
With the coming of the Rev. M. F. Howie in November of 1878, the church began to make advances which are tangible today. Encouraged by the pastor, the congregation purchased the site at Fifth and Santa Fe in 1880, and quickly undertook the building of the new church, for which the cornerstone was laid on September 15, 1880. On October 16, 1881, the congregation held its first worship in the new church "Sabbath School Room."
When the church was ninety years old and its building seventy, the congregation recognized that changes and improvents were needed. At the same time pressures were growing for added space for educational needs. In the believe that only one of these tasks probably could be accomplished in a single generation, something like an inner debate came over the congregation. At last a majority, in meeting, determined that its first duty was to improve the church structure. Taking pains to retain much of the character of the original building while providing comforts, safety and additional beauty, plans were to add the chancel, move the organ console, enlarge and remodel the sanctuary, level the floor, remove the gallery and add the pastor's study and office. The last service was held in the original sanctuary on Easter Sunday, 1951. The congregation returned to the church in December, 1951.
April 4, 1966, by unanimous decision of the session, The First Presbyterian Church will provide some of its physical plant to aid in the operating of a Day Care Nursery under the Community Action Program. This was reaffirmed January 5, 1969. In a specially called Congregational Meeting, the ballot, on motion, seconded and carried unanimously, chose the Rev. George Reed White as moderator and pastor of the congregation in September, 1971.
In October, 1983, the Session voted that a new organization, the Atchison Performing Arts Association, be formed and a Board of Directors, mostly of congregation members will lead it with a part-time director employed. This will manage the year-round uses and a series of plays and musicals in the Community Center Auditorium.
Today, the congregation continues to seek more ways to be faithful to God's call in the ministry and mission of this congregation. We seek to be good stewards of the gifts and blessings that God has given to us in our church, in our community, and in the world God created."[end]