Site of First Church in City of Friona

Duane's take

The way this marker tells it, here's what went down on this patch of Parmer County ground. Back in 1906, the city of Friona came into being, founded by the George G. Wright Land Co. of Kansas City.

They were working as an agency for the owners of the XIT Ranch, selling off that vast range land in small tracts. New settlers started arriving, and it didn't take long before some of them got to thinking about something more than just land and livelihood. By 1908, the religious-minded among them organized the Union Congregational Church.

Now the marker lists every one of those charter members by name, and that list deserves to be spoken out loud. Mr. and Mrs. C.

L. Fergus. Charles Karr.

Mr. and Mrs. J. W.

Karr. Walter Kell. William McCandlish.

Mr. and Mrs. D. W.

McMillen. Mr. and Mrs. Ross V.

McWilliams. Mr. and Mrs. C.

B. Oleson. Mr. and Mrs.

John Orbaugh. Mr. and Mrs. Seth Roush.

Bert Shattuck. Mrs. Nellie Shattuck.

And A. N. Wentworth.

That's the whole founding company, right there. George G. Wright himself donated six lots at this very site.

Then the Congregational Church Building Society of New York came in with a construction grant of seven hundred and seventy dollars. On May 23, 1909, Friona's first church building was completed and dedicated. A frame structure, with hand-painted arched windows and a belfry.

In 1916 they added a basement, and it became the center for social activities. Then, in 1921, that meetinghouse burned. So they built again.

This time in adobe. The chapel that rose on this site served the congregation all the way until 1969, when the congregationalists erected a new sanctuary on a new site entirely. Then in 1973, this building was given to the Girl Scouts, to serve as their meeting hall and activities space, and as a Pioneer Heritage Chapel and Museum.

From XIT ranchland to founding pew to adobe chapel to a place where young women gather. That's a lot of life for one piece of ground.

What the marker says

The city of Friona was founded in 1906 by George G. Wright Land Co., of Kansas City, an agency employed by the XIT Ranch owners to sell their range lands in small tracts. Religious-minded settlers in 1908 organized the Union Congregational Church. Charter members included Mr. & Mrs. C. L. Fergus, Charles Karr, Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Karr, Walter Kell, William McCandlish, Mr. & Mrs. D. W. McMillen, Mr. & Mrs. Ross V. McWilliams, Mr. & Mrs. C. B. Oleson, Mr. & Mrs. John Orbaugh, Mr. & Mrs. Seth Roush, Bert Shattuck, Mrs. Nellie Shattuck, and A. N. Wentworth. George G. Wright donated six lots at this site and the Congregational Church Building Society of New York made a $770.00 construction grant. Friona's first church building, a frame structure with hand-painted, arched windows and a belfry, was completed and dedicated on May 23, 1909. The basement added in 1916 served as center for social activities. After that meetinghouse burned in 1921, this adobe chapel was built. It was used until the congregationalists in 1969 erected a sanctuary on a new site. In 1973, this building was given to the Girl Scouts to be used for their meeting hall and activities and for a "Pioneer Heritage Chapel & Museum". (1975)