Organized in 1838, the Presbyterian congregation built the present church in 1893-1894. This is their third church building and the second on this site. It is a two-story, Romanesque Revival-style structure with a soaring tower on its east corner. The tower is sixty feet tall and is topped with a pyramidal metal roof. Attached to the east corner of the tower is a turret with slit windows that’s topped with a conical roof. Located near the top of the tower is a Seth Thomas clock with a 6-foot dial. The clock, which was installed when the church was built, is owned and maintained by the City of Selma. Folks jokingly say that “Selma runs on Presbyterian Time!”
The First Presbyterian Church is a contributing property to Selma’s “Old Town Historic District” that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It is located at the intersection of Broad and Dallas Streets at downtown Selma (GPS coordinates 32.410287,-87.021772).
Sources: 1) NRHP “Old Town Historic District” Document; 2) www.firstpresselma.org
12/13/13