The Archives
Welcome to the Archives of First Presbyterian Church!
The Archives section is located on the Third Floor of the Case Building, occupying six rooms on the south side of the hall. Anyone is welcome to visit on Wednesdays, between 9:00 a.m. and noon. Special tours may be arranged with the Archivist.
The Archives at First Presbyterian Church came into being in 1970 at the time of the 100th Anniversary of the chartering of the church. Many church members contributed memorabilia for various displays. After the celebration was over, they decided to leave the artifacts with the church. At that time, the Archives was established and organized under the leadership of Gail Carpenter.
Upon Mr. Carpenter’s retirement, Al Witherspoon succeeded him. He served as Archivist until his death in 2002. His successor was Gary M. Huffman, who is the current Archivist. The Archivist is assisted by several volunteers who come in weekly to keep up various aspects of the collection and is also supported by an Archives Board which assists as needed.
What You Will Find in the Archives
- Historical church records from 1870
- Clippings about the church and its members
- Records concerning each minister’s tenure as pastor
- Art collection donated to the church by various members and groups
- Photographs of church boards and committees, activities, and celebrations
- Audio-visual recordings of church services
- Original architectural drawings of the Stone Church, Case Building, and Church Camp
- Books on many topics, some written by former pastors
- Church hymnal and gospel music collection
- Bound church bulletins and newsletter
- The Wichita Light, the weekly newsletter from 1949-1972
- Cornerstone boxes from the Red Brick Church
- Special collections given in memory of church members
More information and building photographs can be found in the Wichita Business Journal, which ran the feature, "My Favorite Building: First Presbyterian Church 'lifts one upward.'"
Our History
Before there was a Wichita or a Sedgwick County, there was First Presbyterian Church. Click on the timeline below to take a trip through our rich history.
List of Services
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1869-1870 EstablishedList Item 1
In the fall of 1869, Synodical missionary the Reverend Timothy Hill sent the Reverend Wilberforce K. Boggs to establish a Presbyterian church in Wichita. On March 13, 1870, the First Presbyterian Church of Wichita was organized with 13 charter members in an abandoned military dugout at what is now the southeast corner of Jackson and Twelfth Streets.
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1871 First Installed PastorList Item 2
By December 1871, Boggs had left to start new churches in nearby towns and the Reverend John Pease Harsen became the first installed pastor. The church had a membership of 30 with a Sunday school of around 100 students.
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1876 - 1877 New Brick ChurchList Item 3
With so much growth, the church outgrew its space. On July 4, 1876, the cornerstone was laid on a new brick church at the southwest corner of First Street and Lawrence (Broadway) Avenue. The congregation occupied the impressive new church in 1877.
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1885 - 1887 New Organizations LaunchedList Item 4
John D. Hewitt, Harsen’s successor, led the church in establishing many small Sunday schools and churches in the area. Several important organizations got their start under Hewitt’s leadership, including: Lewis Academy, the Woman’s Home and Foreign Missionary Society, Ladies Aid Society, and the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor.
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1889 Growth Through Hardship
The national economic situation put the church in financial difficulties. Despite financial problems, the church was expanding rapidly and seating capacity was increased at the Red Brick Church by the addition of north and south transepts.
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1896 A Missionary Church
The Reverend Charles Edwin Bradt accepted the pastorate in June 1896, and the church supported itself and many overseas mission projects. Within two years, the debt was erased and the membership increased, making the church the 23rd largest Presbyterian church in the United States.
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1912 - 1921 Building a Membership
Brodie’s ability to organize and attract and build a large membership led to the organizations such as Women’s Bible Class, the Carnation Class and Women’s Union. As a brilliant orator, he preached and reached people who wouldn’t ordinarily attend church.
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1942 - 1945 Work of the Women
First Presbyterian women took over many projects during the war, including staffing the war bonds booth at Hinkle’s Department Store (pictured). First Presbyterian women contributed more than 10,000 hours in volunteer work from 1942-1945.
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1906 - 1909 New Building Plans
On July 6, 1906, the Reverend Thomas Parry was called to be the senior pastor. Discussion continued on the construction of a new church, and the last service held at the Red Brick Church was Sunday, August 19, 1909.
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1950s Impressive Church Size
First Presbyterian Church in the 1950s was the fifth largest Presbyterian church in the United States.
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1955 Church Camp Land Bought
In 1955, 40 acres of land northwest of Wichita were purchased and the church camp came into being. Construction of buildings and trails and beautification moved rapidly the first few years. Camp usages was quite high in the 1950s and 60s.
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1960s Economy Corner Thrives
The women of First Presbyterian Church opened the Economy Corner as a means to raise money for the building improvement fund. Since it was so successful, the store was kept open to contribute to the church’s annual fund. Since then, the Economy Corner has become the single-largest contributor to the church.
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1974 Transportation Program Born
In 1974, it was apparent that transportation was needed for the elderly and handicapped. Finally, a church van was purchased and a bus was always available to take relatives to visit prisoners, to take people to and from church, and to provide transportation to and from church camp.
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1980s Mission Opportunities
In the 1980s, adult work groups were organized to travel and perform mission work. Trips took the groups to Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Arkansas, Missouri, and various churches across Kansas. All of the trips were dedicated to the love and mission of Jesus Christ.