Aubrey First United Methodist Church

IN 1858, DR. GEORGE T. KEY AND HIS FAMILY, ORIGINALLY FROM MISSOURI, MOVED TO DENTON COUNTY AND SETTLED NEAR THE PRESENT TOWN OF AUBREY. THERE THEY BUILT LOG CABINS, ONE OF WHICH WAS USED FOR A SCHOOL AND CHURCH. THE BUILDING, KNOWN AS THE KEY SCHOOL HOUSE, WAS THE HOME OF ONE OF THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCHES ESTABLISHED IN DENTON COUNTY, LATER RENAMED AUBREY METHODIST CHURCH. FOR YEARS, THE CONGREGATION OF THE AUBREY METHODIST CHURCH MET AT THE KEY SCHOOL AND IN MEMBERS’ HOMES UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF REVEREND F.V. EVANS. IN 1885, L.N. EDWARDS MADE AN ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL TOWN PLAT OF AUBREY AND OFFERED A FREE LOT TO EACH CHURCH. THE AUBREY METHODIST CHURCH ACCEPTED THE LOTS ON THE CORNER OF PLUM AND MAPLE STREETS. ED F. BATES, A PIONEER CITIZEN OF THE COUNTY, DONATED FUNDS TO BUILD A CHURCH BUILDING AS CHURCH FUNDS WERE EXTREMELY SCARCE. CONSTRUCTION ON A WOOD-FRAME BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1886. ON APRIL 14, 1918, A DEVASTATING TORNADO SWEPT THROUGH AUBREY AND DESTROYED THE CHURCH. A NEW, ONE-STORY BRICK VENEER BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY 1919. THE EXQUISITE PRE-RAPHAEL STYLE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS DEPICT STORIES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND ALLOW VIBRANT COLORS TO FILL THE SANCTUARY. IN 1968, THE CHURCH WAS RENAMED AUBREY FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WHEN THE EVANGELICAL UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH AND THE METHODIST CHURCH COMBINED. THE CHURCH INCORPORATED AND BUILT AN ADJACENT FELLOWSHIP HALL IN 1986. FROM MEETING IN A LOG CABIN TO ENDURING A CYCLONE, THE AUBREY FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OVERCAME MANY OBSTACLES AND CONTINUES TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

Aubrey First United Methodist Church is a historical marker in Aubrey, Denton County, dedicated in 2011. It is one of 110 historical markers documented in Denton County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 174 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.3023, -96.9878 near Aubrey. The nearest cataloged historic site is First Christian Church of Aubrey (historical marker), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Key Cemetery, Wilson Cemetery, and Belew Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507016799. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.