Our History

In 1817 William B. Collins and three of his brothers, August, Anson, and Michael, settled in what is now Collinsville. The brothers constructed a saw mill, flour mill, and distillery soon after their arrival and a small community sprang up.

In 1818 the brothers errected a small frame building to be used for the Worship of God. Known as the "Meeting House in the Grove," the building was reputedly the oldest frame meeting house in Illinois. It originally stood a block west of the present church on what was then the village square.

The First Presbyterian Church of Collinsville per se was organized here on May 3, 1823. It has the distinction of being the oldest Presbyterian Church in continuous existence in Madison County, and the sixth oldest in the State of Illinois. Our organizing minister was the Rev. Mr. Salmon Giddings, M.A., a New Englander who had been sent westward by the Connecticut Missionary Society. The Church was continued to be aided by the Missionary Society until 1835. The Church had its first full time pastor in 1840.

A new frame structure was erecterd on the current Church site in 1843 and served as our place of worship until 1884 when it was replaced with a brick structure. With continued growth, a two story addition, Baraca Hall , was added to the church in 1914 to accommodate the growing Sunday
School enrollment, the Baraca Boys' Class, and the newly formed women's organization. A full basement provided a gymnasium for the young people. Shortly after the Rev. Dr. Daniel Breeze began his pastorate in 1920, the Church was completly renovated and a pipe organ was installed.