Early published histories of Madison County have recorded that the
Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in Anderson in 1827. The first
ministers who visited this county were Methodist circuit riders, and prior to
1827 and for some years thereafter, meetings were held in homes in various
parts of the community. In 1839 a tract of land west of Delaware Street and
south of Eleventh Street was donated for a church and cemetery, and soon
after the Methodist society began the construction of a church which was
never completed. However, this building served as a place of worship for
several years and tradition has it that the pews were of split logs and the
lights were candles brought by the worshipers.

In 1849 preparations were made for the building of a new church and
two lots were obtained at the northeast corner of Eleventh and Meridian
Streets. The following year a frame building 36 x 50 feet was erected on
this site, at a cost of about $1,200. Worship continued here until 1870.