First United Methodist Church of Caldwell
Caldwell, Burleson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Congregation, organized 1840, is one of the oldest in Texas. It was one of 12 appointments on Nashville Circuit, Galveston District, Republic of Texas. Early worship was in various temporary structures. Here, in 1841, the Republic gave this church a beautiful grove as a building site. Caldwell became a circuit in 1852; the first church building was erected in 1854. Becoming an "independent station" in 1889, Caldwell built a new church and hosted Texas Methodist Conference in 1890. Present building was erected in 1927 on historic site of 1841.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Organized in 1840, this Methodist congregation is among the oldest in Texas, once counted as one of twelve appointments on the Nashville Circuit during the days of the Republic. In 1841 the Republic granted the church a wooded grove as a building site, and after Caldwell became its own circuit in 1852 the first sanctuary rose in 1854. By 1890 the growing congregation had built anew and hosted the Texas Methodist Conference; the present building was raised in 1927 on that historic 1841 ground.
Why it matters
It preserves an unbroken thread of Methodist life reaching back to the Republic of Texas and the frontier communities Methodism helped anchor.
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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