First Presbyterian Church of Port Lavaca

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm going to give it the telling it deserves. Now, every good church story ought to start somewhere unexpected, and this one does not disappoint. Legend has it that the very first Presbyterian church service in this part of the country was held in a local saloon, back in 1848.

You heard that right. A saloon. Whether the congregation appreciated the irony or tried to ignore it, the marker doesn't say, but there it is.

Eleven charter members got things rolling, and before long they were meeting with the Reverend A. Stephen F. Cocke in a warehouse.

A warehouse they shared, mind you, with the Methodist congregation and the school. Close quarters, mixed company, and one roof over all of it. By 1849, the congregation had purchased land and put up a proper church building, which must have felt like a long time coming after the saloon and the warehouse.

But here is where the story takes a hard turn. The storm of 1886 came through and destroyed that building. Just gone.

And that kind of loss has a way of wearing a congregation down, because by 1903 the group had disbanded entirely. Now, that could have been the end of it. A lot of stories end right there.

But in 1909, the congregation was reorganized, this time with the Reverend M. W. Doggett leading the way.

They kept going, kept building, and in 1956 dedication ceremonies were held for a modern facility in a brand new location. By 1997, the First Presbyterian Church of Port Lavaca was carrying a membership of one hundred and thirty-two souls, active in worship, in community, and in missionary outreach. From a saloon in 1848 to a congregation still going strong, that is one church that knows how to weather a storm, and then some.

What the marker says

Legend has it that the area's first Presbyterian church service was held in a local saloon in 1848. Eleven charter members soon began meeting with the Rev. A. Stephen F. Cocke in a warehouse also shared by the Methodist congregation and the school. A church building was erected on land purchased in 1849; the structure was destroyed in the 1886 storm. The group disbanded in 1903 and was reorganized with the Rev. M. W. Doggett in 1909. In 1956, dedication ceremonies were held for a modern facility in a new location. With a membership of 132 in 1997, the First Presbyterian Church of Port Lavaca continues to be active in worship and in community and missionary outreach. (1998)