WALL STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HISTORY

     The first Methodist minister to come to Jeffersonville was Benjamin Lakin in 1803.  Methodist circuit riders continued to visit the small river community in subsequent years.  In 1807 a Methodist society was formally organized here in a house where the Wall Street Church was finally built.

     The church, then known as the Society in Jeffersonville, met in private homes as well as in the old Court House.  Later, they worshiped in a church erected by the "feet-washing Baptists."   Then we were changed from a circuit to a station in 1833, and in the same year, with a town of 700 people, steps were taken for  building a house of worship on Wall Street, Nos. 224-226.  It was a small brick building on Wall Street on the other side of the parking lot.  There was only one big room in this church and the men sat on one side and the women and children on the other.  Boards served for seats and were very uncomfortable.  Increased membership required an addition to the church in 1840 and more land was purchased with the building being extended to the rear so long and narrow that the Pastor, Dr. T. N. Eddy, called it the "Hemp Rope Factory."

     Again, with an ever-growing membership, a larger church was necessary.  Money was made for building of this new church by "fairs" which were the forerunner of "bazaars".  It was built at 240 Wall Street with its cornerstone being laid in 1859 and officially dedicated in 1865, with a total cost of $25,000.

     A ground-breaking was held in 1924 for a new Annex which would provide facilities for an expanded Church School including space for class rooms, recreational activities for the youth of the community, a more adequate dining room and kitchen; space to serve the educational, recreational, religious and social activities for all members of the church.  The Swartz Auditorium, named after Allen A. Swartz, President of the Board of Trustees, was dedicated February 1, 1925.

     During the disastrous flood of January 1937 the water reached a height of at least three feet in our sanctuary which was on the second floor.  The pulpit on which laid a Bible, floated about with no harm done to the Bible.  It took two weeks for the waters to recede.  Since practically every family had a clean-up job in their homes, it was about six weeks before we got into our church services.  But even then, we were one of the first churches in town to be operating after the flood.  People from other churches joined with us, some remaining to this day.

     The church had first been called the Society in Jeffersonville of the Methodist Episcopal church.  Probably around 1835, the time its first building was completed and put in use, or shortly thereafter, the congregation became known as Wall Street Methodist Episcopal Church.  In 1939 the Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church South, and Methodist Protestant Church merged to become simply the Methodist Church and our name changed to Wall Street Methodist Church.

     The Great Depression of the thirties exacted a heavy toll upon our church and the Wall Street M. E. Church found itself nearly $35,000. in debt.  In 1943 we launched a campaign -- the "March to Victory" for a debt-free church.  In 1945, the entire debt had been paid, so there was a Mortgage Burning Ceremony.

     An Electronic Chimes Tower System was installed in 1946 as a memorial to members of our congregation who had served in World War II.  An inspirational program of songs of praise were sent forth from our church tower daily.  This was audible within a one-mile radius.

     In 1950 the sanctuary was extensively remodeled and rededicated.  It included the installation of a new Moller Pipe Organ, which replaced the organ of 1892 that had well served the congregation for nearly sixty years.  Other improvements included new pews, carpeting, a more attractive altar, a main aisle, Cathedral lighting fixtures and impressive doors a the far entrance of the sanctuary.

     In 1968, the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren Churches joined and formed one body known as the United Methodist Church.  Our name was changed again, this time to Wall Street United Methodist Church.

      The Disaster of 1979 and the Blessings.  by Gary Purlee
     There are moments that you remember all of your life.  The morning of February 9th, 1979. It was around 3:30 a.m. when the telephone rang.  I was living at my parents' home which is only three blocks away.  I vividly remember my mother coming to my room to tell me a neighbor had called to say the church was on fire.  I quickly dressed and grabbed the telephone to call Pastor Jerry and Martha Hyde's house.  Jerry Hyde had been appointed as pastor to a struggling Wall Street Church just 8 months earlier. 

     I rushed to the corner of Locust and Chestnut.  As I turned on Chestnut, I could see the massive four story educational wing looking just as it looked every night.  For a moment I thought, maybe it's just a small fire.  But as i walked down Chestnut past the educational wing, I could see the sanctuary wing.  There was a glow in the very corner of the "L" where the two wings joined.  Orange light illuminated the space where the first stained glass window had been in the second floor sanctuary and flames had burned a small hole in the sanctuary roof.  From the outside of the building, it appeared that there might be a fighting chance of saving the church.

     It was bitter, bitter cold.  The temperature hovered around zero.  We had a small snow fall overnight.  The fire-fighters were struggling to open frozen fire hydrants and had not yet been able to get any water on the fire.

     The fire grew in intensity and spread across to the sanctuary wing.  It was so cold, firefighters were coated with ice where the mist from the hoses had frozen on their suits and skin.  Around 5 a.m. fire reached the bell tower which blazed like a chimney, flames shooting out of it 50 feet in the air for several minutes.  The fire, having consumed the sanctuary, began spreading slowly north across the roof of the educational wing.  You could mark the fire's relentless progress through the windows of the building.  A section of the roof would burn and collapse down onto the floor of the upstairs gym.  A few minutes later the floor below would begin to glow orange until the glow finally reached the basement. 

     The structure was a complete loss and the question was:  Would Wall Street Church survive this disaster.  Organizations and persons from throughout the community reached out to assist.  Our service the next Sunday was held and would be held for over two years in the Knights of Columbus Hall. 

     We learned that the church is not a building. It is much more than that and we rallied around the song "We are the Church".

     The Church was rebuilt and a vision for the future was forged that would shape the church.  The spirit of despair that followed the fire was replaced with a spirit of a church with new life and energy, that continues in this   200th Anniversary Year.