Project 2032: Heritage Committee at FPC-Tallahassee Prepares for 200th Birthday through Uderitz Memorial Grant

By Kay Crowell

Elder/Heritage Committee

First Presbyterian Church

Tallahassee, FL

Preparing for a birthday is not an easy task; preparing for a 200^th birthday is a daunting challenge. This is the situation in which four of us found ourselves in May 2024. As the newly appointed Heritage Committee at First Presbyterian Church, we began work right away on this task with the November 4, 2032 birthday celebration looming.

Our history began in 1824 when it was announced that Tallahassee would be the capital of the newly formed territory of Florida. The next year’s records indicate that the city boasted about 1000 residents, a school, 7 stores, an apothecary, 2 shoemakers, 2 blacksmith, one tailor, 3 carpenters and 3 brickyards. Against this backdrop, talk and interest in adding a Presbyterian church began and before long sixteen members and two ruling elders organized themselves into a Presbyterian church on November 4, 1832.

It was three years before a building for the Presbyterians was completed. However, on May 13, 1838, members celebrated the first church service in their newly constructed building made of brick from the kiln of one of the original members. The design was a simple Greek revival style which was popular at that time and the church stood high on a hilltop. Located directly beside the town square with an open-air market, First Church became a “downtown church” even in the 1840s.

First Presbyterian Church has been an integral part of the community, and many cherished stories have been passed down. Four rifle slots were included in the basement to provide a haven for women and children against possible attacks from hostile Indian attacks. The clock on the steeple was the topic of historical lore and was counted on by residents for the time of day from 1860 to 1900. It was so important that clock maintenance and rewinding were paid for by the City Council. In addition, the church survived a fire that caused considerable damage to the downtown area, hosted debates about abolition and slavery, served as a hospital during the Civil War, and suffered very little damage through many Florida storms and hurricanes.

Today First Church is on the National Historical Register and is often included in local historical tours. The building itself is the oldest structure in Tallahassee that is still being used for its original purpose – a definite landmark in local history. Yet, though we are known lovingly as “that pretty old white church downtown”, and stories about the church are plentiful (with thanks to member Barbara Rhodes’ book At First), interest in the details of our rich history are not known to many in the church as well as throughout the city.

So how does a small committee take on the task of rekindling excitement in the history of the church and setting the stage for a 200th birthday when our records, pictures, and old books are spread through the building? How is this done with the church’s strong focus on working with the other downtown churches, particularly providing food, clothing, and laundry services for the unhoused? How do we suggest a history review to a church that is known for its role in issues of social justice and community service?

To meet this challenge we sorted, sorted, sorted, and dug through loads of materials, but we quickly realized we needed something to show, something visible.

After reading the possibilities offered by the Synod Uderitz Grant, we felt that a visual timeline of our building’s history was the way to “show and tell”. With the Florida Department of Archives only a few blocks from the church, we met with archivists to discover a wealth of photos that clearly delineated our growth and exterior changes. Through the grant, pictures were framed with archival glass and date plagues were included in each frame. This visual timeline of photos went up recently and has been a great success. Now as church members have “walked” the photos from 1870 (the first known picture) to 1940, it is fun to hear their responses. “I didn’t know that”, “did we really have a metal balcony in 1890?”, and “what happened to the steeple in 1932?”. Viewers particularly appreciate seeing the picnic on the ground in 1909, the marketplace of 1897, and the “old-timey” cars and streetlamps in the 1940 frames.

Through comments from church members, it is apparent that the visual timeline has rekindled an interest in the history of First Presbyterian Church. More importantly, the photos have given church members a look at change, courage through difficult times, and stability through faith. As a congregation we are realizing that looking back does not preclude moving forward; rather by preserving and visually sharing our history, there is a renewed awareness and respect for the past that strengthens us as we continue to be a strong congregation of faith and to provide a meaningful ministry in our community.

With many thanks to the Uderitz Grant…First Church is being inspired through the lens of the past! What a blessing!