Central Methodist Church

1100 Central Avenue

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024

1. Central Methodist Church Marker

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From the National Register Nomination prepared by Joyce & Neil Thornton, edited by Ralph S. Wilcox, 5/31/2011:
The Central Methodist Episcopal Church South, now First United Methodist Church, was completed in August 1915 in the late Gothic Revival Style with interior elements of the Carpenter Gothic Style. The church, built of cut Arkansas stone, was designed by John Gaisford, a noted architect of Memphis, Tennessee. The cornerstone was laid November 14, 1914, and the first service was held August 8, 1915.
The building is constructed partly of steel framing, reinforced concrete and stone masonry with wood timber roof framing. The exterior walls are finished with a veneer of pitch-faced cut Arkansas limestone laid in a random ashlar pattern and details of cut limestone copings, window embellishments, diapering panels, and finials. The exterior conveys the organization

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024

2. Central Methodist Church Marker

Looking west along Orange Street. The marker is mounted on the right side of this north entrance.

of a typical Gothic church exhibiting a nave, transept and choir forming the shape of a cross. The steep-sloped, crossing-gable roof is covered with green glazed terra cotta tiles and includes a transept spire, located at the intersection of the cross. Central Methodist remains virtually unaltered since it was built. The original design and much of the historical fabric are intact. This active church, still in use, remains a good example of an early 20th-century building of the late Gothic Revival Style.

Excerpt:  Now the First United Methodist Church, it is a single-story masonry structure with a restrained Gothic Revival exterior, and elements of the Carpenter Gothic on the interior. It was designed by John Gaisford of Memphis, Tennessee, and was built in 1914-15 for a congregation established in 1852. The building is a distinctive landmark on the outskirts of the city's downtown area. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024

3. Central Methodist Church Cornerstone

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024

4. Central Methodist Church (north elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  The north and south facades are composed of three major elevations: the nave elevation, the transept elevation and the choir elevation. The nave elevation, extending between the front facade and the crossing gable, is divided horizontally into an upper and lower section and vertically into five structural bays by buttresses on the lower level. The transept elevation mimics the front facade having two vertical tower-like buttress elements on either side of a triple-height gable wall with a large arched opening. Three windows at sanctuary level replace the front facade's entry. Finally, the choir terminates the west end of the side facades.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024

5. Central Methodist Church (northwest elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  The rear facade was symmetrical at the time of construction. Since then, a ramp and entry door have been added to the North end of the west facade. The door is glass and aluminum appearing clearly separate from the original design.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024

6. Central Methodist Church (east/front elevation)

From the National Register Nomination: The symmetrical front facade is centered about a triple-height entry portal of two stained wood doors, a stained-glass tympanum window made up of six bays, and a composition of ornate limestone diapering panels exhibiting Gothic tracery. The upper portion of the portal is further articulated by a large limestone arch with stained glass infill separated into multiple bays; dripstones extend upward and become limestone finials at the roof parapet. To both sides of the central portal are single arched windows at the sanctuary level and tower-like elements, extending above the roof parapet to be capped with limestone copings and finials. A matching pitch-faced limestone wall, running parallel to Central Avenue, turns inward to lead one up the stairs to the elevated sanctuary.