McKinney First Presbyterian Church
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
OF McKINNEY THIS FELLOWSHIP WAS THE FIRST CONGREGATION IN COLLIN COUNTY AFFILIATED WITH THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES, A DENOMINATION ESTABLISHED DURING THE CIVIL WAR. CHARTERED WITH EIGHTEEN MEMBERS, IT WAS ORGANIZED BY THE REV. W. K. MARSHALL ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1874, AT THE HOME OF DR. E. N. McAULEY, A PROMINENT McKINNEY PHYSICIAN. JAMES P. NENNEY AND W. A. GOSSETT SERVED AS THE FIRST DEACONS. THE INITIAL CHURCH BUILDING FOR THE CONGREGATION WAS COMPLETED BY 1876. A SMALL FRAME STRUCTURE WITH A STEEP ROOF AND TALL, NARROW WINDOWS, IT WAS LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF TENNESSEE AND HUNT STREETS. AN ORNATE TOWER HOUSED THE CHURCH BELL, CAST ESPECIALLY FOR THE FELLOWSHIP, WHICH WAS DONATED BY Z. P. RANNEY AND IS STILL IN USE. DUE TO INCREASED MEMBERSHIP, SERVICES WERE HELD IN THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF A LARGER CHURCH BUILDING ON NORTH KENTUCKY STREET IN 1899. CONSTRUCTED OF BRICK, THE SANCTUARY SERVED THE CONGREGATION UNTIL 1966 WHEN A NEW EDIFICE WAS COMPLETED AT THIS LOCATION DURING THE PASTORATE OF THE REV. SAM P. RICCOBENE. THE CHAPEL INCLUDES STAINED GLASS WINDOWS AND INTERIOR FURNISHINGS FROM THE 1899 SANCTUARY. Texas Historical marker, 1980 |