In 1849, Rev. N. P. Charlot appointed D. M. Morris and Col. John T. Storey as elders of first Presbyterian Church, which organized with ten members. Early services were held in members’ homes and the masonic hall before church elders bought this site in 1854. A concrete church building was completed the next year. An 1879 cyclone destroyed that building, replaced by another in 1880 and the current sanctuary in 1914. Long-serving pastors include R. A. Mccurdy (1911-23) and Dr. Samuel L. Joekel (1930-54). The Presbyterian Life Center hosts church events and community activities. Today, one of the oldest churches in the city continues to aid its neighbors and the world through service and outreach.