Yoakum in Lavaca County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
First Presbyterian Church
of Yoakum
Photographed by Dave W, January 17, 2026
1. First Presbyterian Church Marker
This congregation was organized on December 31, 1893, with the help of Presbyterian Evangelist Dr. A. H. P. McCurdy and 22 charter members, including Thompson Presley, Mrs. M. H. Boyd, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Harnden, Rosa Lee Scott, Susan Beason, Mrs. C. B. Crow, Mr. and Mrs. Newton Johnson, Gussie Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Kaiser, Earnest Johnson, and Esther Starkey. In 1895 the congregation purchased land at this site and in 1898 they erected a 40 x 25 foot wood frame sanctuary. A Ladies Aid Society, later known as Presbyterian Women, organized in 1897, and a Sunday School opened in 1899.
The congregation was served by Presbyterian evangelists until 1908 when the Rev. Edwin W. Ford became the first full-time pastor. Membership grew rapidly during the early 1900s and in 1917 the congregation reached its highest recorded enrollment of 212.
In 1926 the original church building was shifted to another direction, brick-veneered, and modified into a two-story plant, with a sanctuary upstairs and a fellowship hall in the basement area. For many years Sunday School classes were held in a small wooden structure behind the
this page online
First Presbyterian Church continues to serve the community with various activities and programs.
Erected 1995 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1852.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical date for this entry is December 31, 1896.
Location. 29° 17.286′ N, 97° 8.7′ W. Marker is in Yoakum, Texas, in Lavaca County. It is at the intersection of Gonzales Street and Simpson Street, on the left when traveling north on Gonzales Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 322 E Gonzales St, Yoakum TX 77995, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: First Baptist Church of
Photographed by Dave W, January 17, 2026
2. First Presbyterian Church Marker
Marker seen here under tree and behind sign.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 18, 2026, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. This page has been viewed 42 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 18, 2026, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
