The First Presbyterian Church

The First Presbyterian Church. 7th Avenue and Cushman Street. , The First Presbyterian Church in Fairbanks has pervasive historic roots in both southeast Alaska and the Presbyterian Church in Portland, Oregon. Dr. and Reverend S. Hall Young established the first protestant church in Alaska in 1879 at Fort Wrangell, Alaska. Fort Wrangell was a U.S. military base in southeast Alaska close to the town of Wrangell; four Army posts had been established in Alaska following its acquisition from Russia in 1867, both to keep order and establish U.S. possession. This particular missionary outpost at Wrangell was primarily funded by the Presbyterian Church in Portland, Oregon. In addition, Dr. Young and others had a significant role establishing schools and missions in southeast Alaska., In the winter of 1902-03, Rev. Egbert Koouce walked from Rampart to Chena, which at that time was a small town approximately 6 miles southwest of Fairbanks at the confluence of the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Believing Chena would be the dominant settlement of the area, he built a small cabin for a missionary outpost and returned to Rampart. Soon other Presbyterian ministers came to the area, as gold had been discovered in the Tanana Valley in 1902 and the population was increasing. Dr. Young arrived in Fairbanks in July 1904 and secured a building lot at the corner of 7th Avenue and Cushman Street, then considered well out of town. A church and manse (living quarters) were built for $5500, money that was raised locally. The Presbyterian Church grew with the town, and, as in almost all booming frontier towns, was a civilizing influence. The steeple of this church was a beacon on the Fairbanks skyline for many years., Necessarily, many building projects, demolitions, remodelings, additions and acquisitions of additional lots have occurred over intervening years for the First Presbyterian Church. In the 1960s, a deliberate decision was reached by the congregation to remain downtown and continue its mission. Accordingly, the old church building was moved to Alaskaland, now known as Pioneer Park, in 1966. Fairbanks experienced a significant flood the following year, which affected remaining Presbyterian buildings downtown. However, this site and the congregation of the Presbyterian Church celebrated its 100th anniversary in Fairbanks in July 2004 in a modern, updated church and buildings., [Photo captions, top and bottom, read] , . First Presbyterian Church, 1917, . "New" First Presbyterian Church, Most of which is now 45 years old, 2012