Area residents organized First Ward Methodist Episcopal Church on June 23, 1885, and in November of that year, the Rev. I.D. Rose became the church's first pastor. The congregation soon bought this site on which to build a house of worship. In 1900, the church was renamed in honor of Bishop Willard F. Mallalieu. That same year, the Galveston Hurricane destroyed the sanctuary. The congregation rebuilt, and in 1926 built again, finishing the wood-frame Greek Revival structure that would serve them into the 21st century. Throughout its history, the church has served the community through a variety of educational, outreach and worship programs. (2006)