Our Church History

The First Presbyterian Church of Prattville was organized with 13 members in 1846 with W.H. Mitchell as founding minister. The Greek revival style church on Bridge Street was the first place of worship for this congregation. During the tenure of Pastor James K. Hazen (1861-77) who married Mary Tichnor, niece of town founder Daniel Pratt, Poet Sidney Lanier served as our church organist. The original building on Bridge Street is now located on Sixth Street, the property of First Missionary Baptist Church.

The second structure was constructed at the present location. The Victorian style building was built and furnished in 1896 for a sum of $4,161.44. In 1919, new classrooms were added, the roof was remodeled and plumbing was installed. More additions and upgrades were made from 1921 to 1930. In January 1941, just after the start of WWII, the sanctuary was destroyed by fire. Headlines in the Prattville Progress on January 16, 1941, read as follows, “Last Wednesday night Prattville suffered a tremendous loss when the First Presbyterian Church was totally destroyed by fire. Two old pianos and a few chairs were all that was saved.” The Church continued to have services at the Grammar School, now known as the Prattville Primary School, while plans were made for reconstruction.

After the 1941 fire a Finance Committee and Building Committee were formed. Carl B. Cooper Architect of Montgomery was selected to design the replacement sanctuary, bell tower and administration/classroom wing.  A. Berney Jones, who had just finished building Autauga County High School, was selected to construct the new facility. A contract was signed on April 29, 1941 and the new sanctuary was dedicated on October 3rd of that year. The cost of construction was $52,420.00. Much community support was given to this congregation  to enable the first services in our third building. In the 1950’s the 2 story educational wing was constructed and the chapel built afterwards. Sometime in the 1960’s the fellowship hall and kitchen were added.  In 1982 the Gordon Musgrove family commissioned the Vertian Company, of Atlanta, Georgia, to forge a brass bell that is still rung today. Downtown historical Prattville is located in a flood plain with a high water table. Construction methods and means in 1941 were not developed enough to build in this unpredictable soil. In 2004 cracks developed through out the sanctuary. A structural engineer conducted a thorough investigation of the sanctuary part of the building and advised that the sanctuary be razed.  In March 2007 the sanctuary was dissected from the rest of the building and demolished.

The present sanctuary was completed in 2008 at a cost of 2.2 millon.The first worship service was held on  April 20th of that year. After structural failures were discovered in the previous sanctuary a Building Comittee was formed and a contract was implemented with

Parsons,Wible,Brummal /Alkire Architects of Montgomery, Alabama to design a new sanctuary. A design was drafted to mimic the previous sanctuary with improved and modern  conveniences . The most radical change was moving the entrance from South Chestnut Street to West Third. Many elements of the old sanctuary were salvaged and used in the new facility.