Date: December 1989 Creator: Hardy, Daniel Description: The
First Presbyterian Church of Palestine was organized November 3,
1849 by Reverend Daniel Baker and Reverend J.N. Becton, home
missionaries of The Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. There were 18
charter members and the first minister was Reverend A.M. Becton.
For the first few years, the Presbyterian Church shared a place
of worship with other groups, but a steady growth in membership
made it necessary to build its own church. Consequently, a small
brick church was erected on North Church Street. On March 7,
1887, the church bought a lot on Avenue A, and the cornerstone
for this sanctuary was laid on July 12, 1888. The architects for
the project were Dudley and Dudley, the contractor was G.T.
Scott, and the builder was Joseph Frederick Wolff. Mr. Wolff
also made the bricks from clay excavated from a pit that later
became Spring Park Lake. The sanctuary is of Gothic design, and
contains beautiful leaded stained glass and Tiffany memorial
windows. The ceiling