First Presbyterian Church

In the record (3)

1. 1791

   Before any dedicated church building existed for Charlotte's own Presbyterian congregation (First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte was not formally organized until 1832), traveling ministers preached in a grove near a blacksmith shop on what is now First Presbyterian's grounds as early as the 1750s, and many town-dwelling Presbyterians in the courthouse-village era instead worshipped at Sugar (Sugaw) Creek Presbyterian Church, located three to four miles north of town.

   First Presbyterian ChurchMecklenburg PresbyteryFirst United Presbyterian ChurchFirst Baptist Church WestMecklenburg County Courthouse

   Source · checked 2026-08-13

2. 1866

   In 1866, Black members left the balcony of Charlotte's First Presbyterian Church and, with the assistance of white missionaries, organized the area's first Black Presbyterian congregation, which grew into First United Presbyterian Church in what was then First Ward.

   Unverified — sourced but not confirmed against a primary record.

   First Presbyterian ChurchMecklenburg PresbyteryFirst United Presbyterian ChurchFirst Baptist Church WestW.W. Ward

   Source · checked 2026-08-13

3. 1917 · 1917-07-05

   Major General Leonard Wood, commander of the Army's Southeastern Division and the officer charged with selecting new WWI training camp sites, visited Charlotte and addressed the community at First Presbyterian Church on July 5, 1917, regarding the planned camp that became Camp Greene.

   First Presbyterian ChurchMecklenburg PresbyteryFirst United Presbyterian ChurchFirst Baptist Church WestCamp GreeneLeonard Wood

   Source · checked 2026-08-13