First Methodist Church of Goldthwaite

Goldthwaite Methodists trace their history to the mid-1850s, when circuit-riding preachers began traveling to the area to minister to early permanent settlers. The pioneers gathered for services in private homes, out of doors, or in a one-room schoolhouse. For a time they were led by The Rev. H. Childress, who was known as the "bear-hunting preacher" because of the firearms he carried for protection while traveling. In 1885, the Santa Fe Railway founded the town of Goldthwaite. The town's railroad crew and passengers formed a ready market for goods and services, attracting new residents, who formed a local congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, that year. The Rev. C. V. Oswalt was the first pastor, and within two years the congregation completed its first church structure, a wood frame building. Since that time, the congregation has built several progressively larger church structures to accommodate its growth. Due to denominational mergers, the congregation changed its name to the First Methodist Church in 1939, and to the First United Methodist Church in 1968. Active in missionary and social service since its beginning, the First Methodist Church remains an important part of the religious life of this community.

First Methodist Church of Goldthwaite is a historical marker in Goldthwaite, Mills County, dedicated in 1992. It is one of 26 historical markers documented in Mills County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 38 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.4491, -98.5724 near Goldthwaite. The nearest cataloged historic site is Mills County Courthouse (courthouse), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Mills County Jailhouse, Mills County Courthouse, and Goldthwaite Eagle.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5333001754. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.