FORMALLY ORGANIZED ON MAY 12, 1867, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE REV. WILLIAM MITCHELL, THIS CONGRE-GATION BEGAN WITH SEVEN CHARTER MEMBERS. CONSTRUC-TION OF A SANCTUARY WAS BEGUN IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT WAS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL MAY 1868 DUE TO A YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC IN THE CITY.

BY THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THE CONGREGATION NEEDED A LARGER BUILDING. WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM HENRIETTA KING, A NEW BRICK SANCTUARY WAS BUILT ON BROADWAY IN 1901-02. IT SERVED THE CONGREGATION UNTIL 1930, WHEN THIS SANCTUARY WAS COMPLETED. BUILT WITH A MAJOR DONATION FROM THE RACHEL DODDRIDGE ESTATE, IT IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE GOTHIC REVIVAL STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE. THE BRICK-CLAD BUILDING FEA-TURES AN OFFSET TOWER, STONE DETAILING, AND ART GLASS WINDOWS.

AS THE CONGREGATION CONTINUED TO GROW, COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS WERE ORGANIZED. CHURCH FACILI-TIES WERE OFFERED TO HOUSE VICTIMS OF HURRICANES AND DEVASTATING STORMS, AND THIS CHURCH HELPED ESTABLISH EIGHT NEW PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATIONS IN THE CITY.

A PART OF CORPUS CHRIST1 HISTORY FOR OVER A CENTURY, THE .FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CONTINUES TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITH A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS.

RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK - 1989