Sunday School - 9:00 am
Refreshments & fellowship - 10:00 am - 10:25 am
Sunday Morning worship 10:30 am First Presbyterian 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 was relocated on Sixth Street on 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. Downtown historical Prattville is located in a flood plain with a high water table. Construction means and methods in 1941 were not developed enough to build in this unpredictable soil. In 2004 cracks developed throughout the sanctuary. A structural engineer conducted a thorough investigation of the sanctuary part of the building and recommended that the sanctuary be razed. A building committee and finance committee were formed in 2005 and a contract was implemented with PWBA /Architects of Montgomery, Alabama to design a new sanctuary. A design was drafted to mimic the previous sanctuary with improved and more 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. In March 2007 a construction contract was awarded to Lovelady Construction of Selma, Alabama to build the new sanctuary at a cost of 2.2 million dollars. The sanctuary was dissected from the rest of the building and demolished. The present sanctuary was completed in 2008. The first worship service was held on April 20th of that year
