First Methodist Church

First Methodist Church. . , The First Methodist Church, led by Rev. E. H. Rubicam and five members, was established in Kennewick in 1902 on land donated by Howard Amon. A wood frame church that was constructed on the corner of Kennewick Avenue and Dayton Street in 1906. When that building became too small, a new Gothic-style brick church was built in the same location during 1920-1922. Both buildings were built by local contractor A.V. McReynolds. Dedicated in 1923, the current church remains a downtown Kennewick landmark. , The church has long served as a community gathering place. Until 1937, Kennewick High School graduations were held at the church, generations of Boy Scouts had their meetings there, along with preschool classes, a food bank and a bloodmobile. Public concerts are held in the sanctuary and the Church continues to be used for community events and programs. , Local families funded the priceless stained glass windows and many of the other improvements to the Church. As the church grew over the years, changes needed to be made. A new education wing in 1958 meant tearing down the original parsonage. Many of the houses that had once surrounded the Church were purchased and demolished in the 1960s in order to create a parking lot. By the Church’s centennial in 2002, it had purchased the entire city block, strengthening its vibrant presence in downtown Kennewick., Placed by the Kennewick Centennial Committee with photographs courtesy of the East Benton County Historical Society. Displays remastered in 2018 by Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership, paid for with a grant by Benton County Preservation Commission. Printed by Espirt Graphic Communication, Inc.