Thursday, February 1, 2018

Our Past Is Present February 7, 2018

February 7, 2018
            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
            Members of the Presbyterian Church in Junction City are celebrating their church’s  150th anniversary.  On February 23, 1868, Reverend John Anderson preached his first sermon in Junction City.  The congregation extended an invitation to him to become the minister of the newly established church.  The first gathering was held in a building known as the “Corn Crib”.  On May 2nd, 1868, the lots on which the Church now stands were purchased.  On March 8, 1868 there were 11 charter members.  The Sunday School was organized with 16 pupils.  On September 27, 1868, the congregation moved to Brown’s Hall on the north side of the City Park.  The first building was a vision of Major O.J. Hopkins.  The congregation met on August 25, 1869 and resolved to build a church building.  The present location at the corner of Fifth and Washington Streets was first used on Christmas Eve of 1870.  It was dedicated on July 19, 1872. 
The manse at 125 W. Fifth Street, where the minister resides was built in 1886.  In 1911, the organ was installed in the church through a gift of Andrew Carnegie. 
            A new structure was erected in 1919-1920.  The congregation met in the junior high school, which was then the Departmental School from April 11, 1920 to July of 1921.  When the new building was dedicated on September 25, 1921, it was steam heated, seated 600 people, and had a church school building and 7 separate departmental meeting rooms and classrooms.  There were 33 separate rooms in the building.  The organ was a gift of Mrs. Oscar Howard as a memorial to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. N.F. Green.  The cost of the building, pews, organ and fixtures total $115,000. 
            This beautiful structure for worship is often used for concerts and recitals and is one of the special landmarks in our city. 
            Well… that is today’s story on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.


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