Church History

CONTENTS

Church History

LINKS

Our History

The beginnings of our church reach back into the year 1835. Its' history has always been in Middle Tennessee. We began as a congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterians in 1835 with Joseph Brown and his cousin, James Porter, playing important roles in our church's founding.The first building for the church was built in conjunction with the Odd Fellows Lodge and was located at the corner of Eighth and Garden Street, Columbia, Tennessee. The church was to use the first floor and the lodge the second story. This first building was completed in 1845 and was named the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Columbia, Tennessee.

The church went through a massive renovation when the church bought out the interest of the Odd Fellows Lodge in about 1890. When the renovations were complete, a beautiful Gothic architecture church had been erected. This was completed in 1892. It was at this time that a church bell was added to the building and began to peal each Sunday to beckon worshipers to assemble. Around 1900 a movement was made to unite the Cumberland Presbyterian with the Presbyterian Church USA. Along with many other Cumberland Presbyterian churches in Middle Tennessee, our church united with the Presbyterian Church USA (popularly known as the Northern Presbyterian Church.) In 1913, the name was changed to the Garden Street Presbyterian Church.

For 66 years our church had been know as the Cumberland Church of Columbia; it was to be known as the Garden Street Presbyterian Church for 49 years. In 1960, our church voted to re-locate to its' present location on what was then called, the Mt. Pleasant Pike. The land on which the church was to be built was donated to the church by Mr. and Mrs. Harry T. Cook. The land fronted on Mt. Pleasant Pike and bounded on the east by Pleasant Drive. The property at Eighth and Garden Streets was sold to the First Farmers and Merchants National Bank whose building is presently located upon that site. The bank gave permission to the church to salvage and retain any of the Garden Street Presbyterian Church building as the congregation liked. Among the items removed were the stained glass windows, the church bell, and the organ pipes. These items may presently be seen as part of the fixtures in our latest church building.

When the new church building was completed in 1962, the church was renamed, the Westminster Presbyterian Church. The first service in the new building was on October 21, 1962. Although the church had relocated, many elements of the Garden Street Church were incorporated into the new church building at 2800 Trotwood Avenue. Most outstanding are the stained glass windows which were installed into the new sanctuary. The Cook Memorial Chapel in the church was designed as a replica of the Garden Street Presbyterian Church. Many of its' furnishings and the architecture of the Chapel faithfully reproduce the Garden Street Church.

The bell tower of our church is the focal point our our church's architecture. This bell, cast in Nashville in 1866 by Perry and Dumont, serves as a continual reminder of our past as we look to the future. It has now called people to worship for over 100 years. It is our earnest prayer that God continue to be praised through His people now known as the Westminster Presbyterian Church!