First Presbyterian Church of Waco
Waco, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Congregtion established in1855, with 17 members and two ruling elders. This building was erected in 1912, after two earlier structures were outgrown. In 74 years, church had only two ministers: Dr. Samuel A. King, 1863-1903; Dr. Charles T. Caldwell, 1903-1937.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Founded in 1855 with just seventeen members and two ruling elders, the First Presbyterian Church of Waco grew alongside its frontier town, outgrowing two earlier buildings before raising the present sanctuary in 1912. Remarkably, across seventy-four years the congregation had only two ministers — Dr. Samuel A. King and Dr. Charles T. Caldwell — an unusual continuity of leadership. The church's steady history mirrors Waco's own growth from antebellum settlement to established city.
Why it matters
A congregation established before the Civil War and led by just two ministers for three-quarters of a century shows the deep roots religious institutions put down in growing Texas towns.
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Related people
- · Samuel A. King
- · Charles T. Caldwell
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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