First Church in Southwest Missouri - Silver Springs Park, Springfield, Missouri
N 37° 13.350 W 093° 16.540
15S E 475543 N 4119591
Although churches had been holding meetings & services in the area since the very earliest days of the 19th Century, the first church in Greene County was built in 1833 in what is now Silver Springs Park.
Waymark Code: WMJ4PJ
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 09/23/2013
Views: 3
Much of Silver Springs Park is still a relatively large, open field crossed by Jordan Creek. This field was originally called the Fairbanks Pasture. In 1833, it became the home of Greene County's first permanent church structure, the First Methodist-Baptist Church. An old Springfield News-Leader article indicated the building was also used for Presbyterian services.
It is unclear how long the building was used for a church, or how long it lasted. We do know that this part of Missouri was decimated by the Civil War; the church's took sides, and many churches were destroyed.
The pasture became the park in 1918, in fact it was the first park in Springfield for the use of African-Americans.
HISTORICAL MARKER TEXT:
OBVERSE: 450 feet due west First Methodist Episcopal in Southwest Missouri was located in 1833. Size 18 X 20 feet, built of logs, puncheon floor and seats cost 18 dollars. Rev. Jas. H. Slavens, M.D., first pastor over White River and St. Francis Districts, 100 x 200 miles in extent. Marker erected by the Springfield Methodist Episcopal and Methodist Episcopal Churches South, 1921
REVERSE: University Club
Historic Marker No. IX
Web link: [Web Link]
History of Mark:
From 1921-1934, Drury College's Dr. Edward Shepard, along with it University Club, placed a series of historical markers throughout SW Missouri, the sites having been picked by Dr. Shepard. This particular marker was #9 in the series. It was erected in 1921 with the assistance of the Springfield Methodist Episcopal $ the Methodist Episcopal Churches South.
Additional point: Not Listed
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