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By Bill Wilson |
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By Bill Wilson |
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The history of a church often reflects the history of the wider community. Certainly, this is the case with the First Presbyterian Church in Georgetown, Colorado. When Sheldon Jackson rode into Georgetown on horseback in October, 1869, he found a community buzzing with activity. A few years earlier, silver had been found nearby, and the town was in the midst of a building boom. Optimism and a sense of permanence prevailed. Earlier that summer the Denver Tribune had called Georgetown "the most picturesque in Colorado." Jackson was on a mission to establish Presbyterian congregations throughout the West. In Georgetown, he learned that the Methodists, Catholics, Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Baptists had already formed their own congregations. Undaunted - or perhaps encouraged - he managed to locate eight former Presbyterians in the town, and at an organizational meeting this group established the First Presbyterian Church of Georgetown. The congregation grew along with the town. During the early years of existence, they met first in the Congregational Church and then in McClellan Hall (later known as the McClellan Opera House), owned by Erskine McClellan, one of the church's founders. In 1871 the congregation purchased a lot on Taos Street by South Clear Creek with the purpose of constructing a church building. Three years later, on Sunday, September 20, 1874, "The Little Stone Church by the Stream" was dedicated. As reported by the Colorado Miner, "The Reverend Wells of Denver officiated, assisted by Reverend Mr. Stewart of Golden. There was a large congregation present, as many as the church would accommodate." The town and church prospered during the 1870s, and the church continued to thrive into the 1880s, despite Georgetown's declining population and mine closures in the area. A mini-boom occurred in the town with the passage of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1890, but an event early in 1892 was perhaps a precursor of hard times to come. In January of that year, in the midst of a brutally cold winter, the McClellan Opera House burned to the ground. This was a great loss not only for the town but also for the church, for the fire destroyed the church's early records, which Erskine McClellan, as custodian, had stored in the building. But with the help of old timers and a parishioner's diary, McClellan constructed a synopsis of the first 18 years of the church, and this became an official part of the new records. Over the next century, the fortunes of the church rose and fell with the times, but through all the hard times the church survived. The repeal of the Silver Purchase Act in 1893 led to a decline in the price of silver, closure of most mines, and further declines in population. Correspondingly, the Presbyterian congregation became smaller, but it continued to meet regularly. For a time early in the twentieth century, the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches were the only ones holding services in Georgetown.
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The Depression years were particularly grim. All mining ceased, jobs and money were scarce, and Georgetown's population slipped to a few hundred. When the Bank of Georgetown failed in 1932, the Session met to discuss whether to discontinue regular church services. The church could not even afford coal to heat the building for services on Sundays. Nonetheless, it was decided to continue, and members of the congregation were requested to bring pieces of coal for the offering. Throughout the decades, the church members have periodically renovated and restored the lovely stone building. Early on, a chapel was attached to the church. This structure was used until the 1950s, when it was demolished to make way for a new Sunday school building. Following World War II, members installed a new heating system and carried out major redecorating of the chancel. In the 1960s, work was carried out to meet various structural needs of the church, including a new retaining wall adjacent to the creek. In 1971, members purchased a 400-pound bronze bell, the gift of Mr. Robert Randall in memory of his mother. The bell was hung in the bell tower, and for the first time the message of the church rang out over Georgetown. The most recent efforts have been the refurbishing of the building during 1999-2001 and the extensive rehabilitation of the building during 2004. The latter effort was generously supported by a grant from the State Historical Fund. Some of the work was major (e.g., replacement of the roof, reconstruction of the retaining wall along the creek), and some was mundane (e.g., cracks repaired, electrical circuits replaced, bathroom exhausts installed), but all helped assure the continuation of this very special historic structure. Even before historic preservation became an established ethic in Georgetown, the changes to the church always retained its historic character and integrity. In 1975, in recognition of the church's ongoing efforts, the Georgetown Society, Inc. (now Historic Georgetown, Inc.) presented the James Grafton Rogers Historic Preservation Award to the congregation for "outstanding contributions to the preservation of Georgetown." Georgetown and the First Presbyterian Church are survivors. The town has lasted longer than most other mining communities that existed during Georgetown's mining days. And this church alone among the town's original churches has maintained a continuous life. Each - the town and church - offers in its own way a sense of community. These feelings of civic pride and spiritual communion, built upon the foundations of dedication, sacrifice, service, and good will, have served both institutions well in the past and no doubt will continue to do so for years to come. [Author's note: Much of the material in this historical summary was taken from "Steadfast in Faith, A Book of Memories, 1874-1999" (1999), First United Presbyterian Church, Georgetown, Colorado.] |
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