McAllen First Methodist Church
McAllen, Hidalgo County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The earliest record of Methodist church activity in the lower Rio Grande Valley dates to 1849. Circuit-riding ministers served an area along the Rio Grande from Brownsville to Roma. In 1909 the Rev. C.W . Godwyn was assigned to serve Methodists in McAllen, and a small frame sanctuary was built that year. It was replaced by a larger structure in 1913. Continued growth in the congregation led to construction of the present facility in 1928. This congregation continues to be an important part of the McAllen community. (1989)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Methodism reached the lower Rio Grande Valley by 1849, when circuit-riding preachers covered the long river country from Brownsville to Roma on horseback. When McAllen took root, the Rev. C. W. Godwyn arrived in 1909 to gather local Methodists, and a modest frame sanctuary went up that same year. Growth came quickly in the booming Valley town, prompting a larger building in 1913 and the present church in 1928.
Why it matters
The congregation traces the arc of the Rio Grande Valley itself, from lonely circuit riders to a settled, fast-growing railroad-era community.
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Related people
- · C. W. Godwyn
Themes & tags
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