#44. Presbyterian Church

A warranty deed dated December 6, 1881 shows that John Ewing Jr. sold the south 25 feet of lot No. 2 in block 40 on Spruce Street to the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Del Norte for church purposes only.

On September 11, 1882, Minna Emperius gave a quitclaim deed to the First Presbyterian Church for land.  A Beautiful wood frame gothic style church was built, and the first service was held on August 6, 1882, conducted by Rev. George Darley.  Thomas Bowen had donated the church bell.

The Presbyterian College of the Southwest was completed in 1884 as an annex to the church.  George Darley was the first president. The observatory on top of Mt. Lookout was installed in 1885.  It housed the largest telescope west of the Mississippi at the time.

On Thanksgiving Day in 1893, the church and the college burned.  The college, however, was able to continue.  Following the fire, the new church was completed in 1895.  It is now the chapel for the Pioneer United Church.  The brick addition was added in 1970 when the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches merged.