First Presbyterian Church
The Louisiana Presbyterian Church was organized on October
12, 1851 by the Old School Presbyterians of the Presbytery of Palmyra, of the Presbyterian Church USA. This congregation eventually
located in a red brick building built in 1854 at 716 South Carolina Street. This building has been restored and remodeled
and serves as the manse, the residence of the pastor.
In 1854, the Presbytery of Salt River of the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church sent Rev. Erasmus Darwin Pearson to Louisiana, and in February 1855, a congregation was organized. They built a wooden
structure on the west side of South 8th Street between Georgia and South Carolina Streets.
After a number of years, the wooden structure was inadequate and the
older part of the building now known as First Presbyterian was built in 1890 and dedicated in 1891. The original stained glass
windows are still in place and contain many "jewels". The 100th anniversary was celebrated June 3, 1990.
The Louisiana and Cumberland churches united as First Presbyterian Church
in 1906 using the 8th Street facility. The pipe organ was moved from the Louisiana church to 8th street. The organ case now
contains a 7-rank Wicks pipe organ installed in the 1960's. Chimes were added in the 1940's and are still in
use.
An addition for offices, classrooms, fellowship hall and kitchen was
built in 1962. In 1997, a capital fund campaign raised over $100,000 for many improvements to the church property including
redecorating, rewiring, new roof, and additional heating and cooling units.
First Presbyterian became part of the first Union Presbytery in the
United States in 1970 when the Presbytery of Missouri Union was formed, related to both the Presbyterian Church USA and the
United Presbyterian Churh USA. After the national reunion of these two bodies in 1983, the church belongs to the Presbyterian
Church USA.
Elmwood Presbyterian Church
Be it known on this date, December 4,1910, in a room
of what was known as the Fritz House, there assembled Mr. Edward Crow, May Ince, Grace Ince, T.F Ince, Mrs. J.R. Rowley, Ed
Von Vain and Mr. & Mrs. William K. Roberts, who after prayer by the Reverend S. T. Larkin, organized a church of Christ
to be known as the Elmwood Presbyterian Church of Louisiana, Mo.
All of the above came by letter of transfer from Buffalo
Presbyterian Church. On the same day the church received by their confession of faith in Christ, and having been baptized
the following were received into membership: Edward Meriweather, Ida ince, Nellie Crow, Emory Ince, Joe Madison, Rebecca
Roberts, Bly Roberts, and J. R. Rowley. The Reverend Larkin was issued a call Feburary 25, 1911 to fill the pulpit for
one year.
The congregation met in the Fritz House until the
Nally Chapel was purchased and moved from the Grassy Creek area to the present site in Louisiana at 30th and South Carolina
Streets (106 S. 30th St.). The building was dismantled piece by piece, even the square nails were saved and reused.
