Historic church in Texas, United States
First Methodist Church (First United Methodist Church; Methodist Episcopal Church of South Marshall) is a ruined historic Methodist church at 300 E. Houston Street in Marshall, Texas. It has also been known as First United Methodist Church and as Methodist Episcopal Church of South Marshall. It is a stuccoed brick Greek Revival-style church with a portico having four monumental square columns; such architecture is rare in Texas. It was added to the National Register in 1980. A fire on the morning of December 9, 2024 destroyed most of the structure and left the building in ruins.
It was documented in 1936 by the Historic American Buildings Survey. The portico was originally topped by a belfry but that was replaced in 1949 by a large octagonal cupola. It was built during 1860 to 1861, probably by slave labor. Its builders included mason Alexander Pope and carpenter Billingon Smalley. 
It was expanded in 1949 and in 1958.
Enoch Mather Marvin served at First Methodist and was elevated to Bishop of Trans-Mississippi Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South during his tenure in Marshall. Marvin Methodist Episcopal Church, South in Tyler is named after him. 
During the American Civil War, Confederate supplies were stored in the basement and it was the site of organization for the war effort. It was the site of the first conference, in 1862, of the Trans-Mississippi states convened by Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Texas Governor Lubbock, Missouri Governor Jackson, and representatives of Arkansas and Louisiana participated.
References.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;