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 In 1834 in the village of Rutherfordton, the county seat
of Rutherford county, spiritual growth
was of utmost importance to its estimated 450 residents, as well as to
hundreds of others in rural areas. For this reason and others, a faithful
group of Rutherfordton citizens petitioned Concord Presbytery to organize
a church.
The church was organized in 1834 by Rev. Daniel Lindley, D. D., and Dr. R. H. Morrison. Dr.
Morrison was probably best known as the first president of Davidson College. Initial membership of the
church was less than twenty, with the first pastor being a home
missionary named Rev. J. M. Caldwell.
The location of Rutherfordton Presbyterian has not changed since its
organization. The land was donated to the church by a Jewish immigrant
from Russia
named William Thompson. He died in 1843 and is buried in the city
cemetery.
The first church building was a unique frame structure which housed the Female Academy on the first floor and the
church sanctuary on the second floor. the Female Academy
was chartered by the State of North
Carolina in 1837. The Academy and the
Presbyterian Church were co-owners of the building until 1885.
The construction of the second church building, on the same site, began
in 1877 and was completed in 1883. An additional wing was constructed in
1912. At this time a second steeple was added. This building served the
congregation for some seventy years. The present sanctuary and education
building was completed in 1952.
In 2003, a new addition complete with a four-stop elevator, handicapped
accessible restrooms, offices, and a meeting area known as the
“Garden Room” was added to the Main Street side of the
existing facility. The latest
addition to our property is the former BB&T bank building on the West
side of North Washington
Street (across from the church). Purchased primarily to provide
additional parking, the building has now been renovated and is serving as
a recording studio.
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