04/20/2026
The Presbyterian Historical Society, founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1857, is the oldest denominational historical society in the country. Its mission, specified in its constitution, is "to collect and preserve materials and promote the knowledge of the history of the Presbyterian Church." The Second Presbyterian Church of Charleston, South Carolina, was the location of the first meeting of the Society's founders; they decided to establish its headquarters in Philadelphia, home of the first presbytery in America.
In 1925, the General Assembly (PCUSA) established a Department of History as an integral part of the Office of the General Assembly. An agreement coordinated the activities of the Department of History and the Historical Society, and the Church took possession of the Society's collections.
The Presbyterian Historical Society of the Synod of Texas was organized in 1902. The General Assembly (PCUS) designated the Texas PHS as its official historical organization in 1926, moved its collection to Montreat, North Carolina, and renamed it the Historical Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches. This photo was snapped at Montreat inside the library and museum of the Historical Foundation.
In 1983, when the UPCUSA and PCUS reunited to form the PC(USA), it was decided that the historical organizations should merge to reflect this unity. Philadelphia remained the headquarters of the new Office of History/Presbyterian Historical Association, with Montreat as a regional office.
On June 21, 2006, the 217th General Assembly affirmed the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly’s decision to close the Montreat office of the PHS effective December 31, 2006, which resulted in relocation of holdings of that office to the Philadelphia PHS office as well as other archival institutions, such as Columbia Theological Seminary.