A Little History - 170 Years
We at First Presbyterian Church celebrate a rich, faithful history. Our congregation was formed in 1839 and our current sanctuary was built in 1851. It is on the National Historic Register as an important example of the Greek revival architectural style. The building was completed and dedicated on June 10, 1852, at a cost of $10,600. It is noteworthy to observe that our building, which today seats close to 500 people, was constructed by a congregation which numbered no more than 54. An act of faith, to say the least.
Underneath the sanctuary and behind an old furnace, there’s a tiny dirt crawl space where slaves may have huddled, one of the many Racine legends of Underground Railroad activity. Several years ago, church members uncovered the tunnel and pulled out the most substantial evidence yet of hidden fugitive slaves. We believe the items were left in the days of shuttling slaves from station to station. The church has a history of anti-slavery sentiment, and those who owned slaves were denied church membership. A former pastor, the Rev. Zebulon Humphrey (1850-1856), was a strong abolitionist, and went on to give the invocation at the 1860 Republican National Convention in Chicago when Abraham Lincoln was nominated for President. The artifacts found beneath our basement are currently stored at the Racine Historical Museum. Schedule a tour of the Underground Railroad.
Most vital to our history are countless women and men who have sensed God’s direction in our midst and responded with faithful integrity. We honor our history and their memory when we commit ourselves to daily habits of love and grace—habits that will carry us into the next 170 years with new visions for ministry and faith.
