Our History
In 1817 William B.
Collins and three of his brothers, August, Anson, and Michael, settled in what
is now Collinsville. The brothers constructed a saw mill, flour mill, and
distillery soon after their arrival and a
small community sprang up.
In 1818 the brothers erected a small
frame building to be used for the Worship of God. Known as the "Meeting House
in the Grove," the building was reputedly the oldest frame meeting house in
Illinois. It originally stood a block west of the present church on what was
then the village square.
The First Presbyterian Church of
Collinsville per se was organized here on May 3, 1823. It has the
distinction of being the oldest Presbyterian Church in continuous existence in
Madison County, and the sixth oldest in the State of Illinois. Our organizing
minister was the Rev. Mr. Salmon Giddings, M.A., a New Englander who had been
sent westward by the Connecticut Missionary Society. The Church was
continued to be aided by the Missionary Society until 1835. The Church
had its first full time pastor in 1840.
A new frame structure was erected on the current Church site in 1843 and served
as our place of worship until 1884 when it was replaced with a brick structure.
With continued growth, a two story addition, Baraca Hall , was added to the
church in 1914 to accommodate the growing Sunday
School enrollment, the Baraca Boys' Class, and the newly formed women's
organization. A full basement provided a gymnasium for the young people.
Shortly
after the Rev. Dr. Daniel Breeze began his pastorate in 1920, the Church was
completely renovated and a pipe organ was installed.