First Presbyterian Church Sumter

Front: First Presbyterian Church of Sumter organized in 1823 with five charter members. It was originally part of Harmony Presbytery and was an offshoot of Concord Presbyterian Church. The church’s founding preacher was Rev. Isaac R. Barbour. Congregants met at the local Baptist church and county courthouse until the first church was built near here in 1830, in what was then the outskirts of Sumterville. Reverse: First Presbyterian Church had a second wood frame church built in 1850. At that time the congregation had around fifty members. The third church was built in 1907 on the corner of Main and Calhoun Sts., just south of the 1850 structure. A fine example of Georgian Revival design, its exposed red-brick exterior was later painted white. An education building and chapel, both of similar design, were added in 1957-58.