First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian Church. . , The First Presbyterian Church of Mankato traces back to the very early days of the town's settlement. The first church meetings were held in 1855 in a log structure which served as a school and worship space for several congregations. The church outgrew the log structure and held services in several different locations in Mankato until the congregation built a brick church in 1863. The first service was held in 1864. The building, which was located on the corner diagonally across the street from the present-day structure, was dedicated the following year. , When the congregation outgrew their original building, they hired Minneapolis architect Warren H. Haynes and approved his design for a new building in 1890. The present-day location was purchased and work began on the current building in 1893. The first service was held here in December 1894 although the building was not finished until 1897. The congregation held its formal building dedication on September 2, 1896. , Builders used local stone in the church's construction. Haynes's design used the "Akron Plan" in which classrooms radiated out from the main sanctuary. Partitions could be removed from the smaller rooms, creating a larger worship space. Later renovations have since separated the classrooms from the sanctuary. , The building has changed internally and externally several times. An annex was built in 1927 and a chapel was added in 1959. Remodeling occurred in 1957, 1980, and 1993. , A bell was purchased by the congregation in 1857 for $300 using funds generated by the Ladies Sewing Sociable. Since there wasn't a church structure yet, the bell was placed on a wooden frame outside the schoolhouse. Each time the church moved, they took the bell along. Today, it is in the First Presbyterian Church's belfry. , This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and locally designated as a Heritage Preservation Landmark in 2010.