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Chattanooga, TN
First Presbyterian
554 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga
,
TN
423-267-1206
http://www.1stpresbyterian.com
Founded on
June 21, 1840
by former missionaries who had ministered to the Cherokee at the Brainerd Mission before their removal in 1838, First Presbyterian Church is the oldest organized church of any denomination in the city of
Chattanooga
. Its first worship facility was a log structure near the intersection of Fifth and Lookout streets. By 1845 the church had grown and prospered, and occupied its first building specifically designed and designated for worship use. That brick structure was located on the west side of Walnut Street, near Third Street, and served as home to the congregation until the mid-1850’s when a larger structure was completed at the northeast corner of Seventh and Market streets.
In 1863 the Union Army occupied
Chattanooga
and commandeered the church for use as a hospital. During the occupation, the Rev. Thomas Hooke McCallie--whose two sons would later found the
McCallie
School
, and whose daughter would go onto to found the
Girls
Preparatory School
--opened his home for worship. Though beleaguered, the congregation survived the war and Rev. McCallie served as pastor until 1873.
Originally known as Presbyterian Church in
Chattanooga
, First Presbyterian took its current moniker in 1871 after the formation of Second Presbyterian Church. One of the longest serving pastors of First Presbyterian was Dr. Jonathon Waverly Bachman who served from 1873-1924. During the Civil War Dr. Bachman served the Confederacy in the capacity of chaplain.
In keeping with the tradition of First Presbyterian communicants proactively participating in civic affairs and duties, Dr. Bachman’s son, Nathan, an attorney, entered the political arena and eventually won a seat in the United States Senate. Under the tenure of Dr. Bachman, the congregation saw the construction of two worship facilities. At the corner of Georgia Avenue and
Seventh Street a new structure was completed in the 1880’s. This building served the congregation until 1910 when First Presbyterian occupied its current building on McCallie Avenue.
Built in the temple style, the current First Presbyterian was modeled after
New York
architect Standford White’s rendering of Madison Square Presbyterian Church. Architecturally, it has been known as one of the finer worship structures in the city of
Chattanooga
. In 1967 the Rev. Ben Haden answered a call to ministry from First Presbyterian. Rev. Haden quickly endeared himself to the congregation and to Chattanoogans as a whole. His radio program, ‘Changed Lives,’ grew in popularity and eventually found itself widely syndicated with dedicated listeners such as the Rev. Billy Graham. From ‘Changed Lives’ came a successfully syndicated television ministry. Rev. Haden stepped retired in 1999 after 31 years of service to First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga.
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