
The first petition to establish a county out of Milam County to be called Clear Water County was ignored in Austin, but two years later a second petition – this time asking that the county be named Bell County after then Governor Bell – succeeded and Bell County came into being in 1850. The city fathers of the new county seat provided for the development of churches, setting aside lot 3 of block 16 for a Methodist Church on Pearl Street.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was completed in 1854 near the site where our present building is now located and allowed the Methodist Congregation to meet there once a month until our first building was completed. The first church building was of native stone and hewn cedar begun in the late 1850’s and completed in the early 1860’s.
The civil war affected Belton and our church resulting in no pastoral appointments for the years 1859 through 1865. After the war Belton and our church began to develop.

By 1884 the congregation outgrew the original
church building and the present site on East and Third Avenue was selected. The present building was completed in 1886. The steeple bell was moved to the new site where it continues to call worshipers to services each Sunday morning. The new church was so impressive as it sat on a high point in the city it was referred to as “The Cathedral Church of the Northwest Conference” by Bishop Joseph S. Key in 1889 when the annual conference was held in Belton.






Some time later, permanent walls were added so that the outer areas could be used for offices and study rooms. The first church kitchen was in the north east corner and is now used for custodial supplies.
The next renovation took place in 1938 when the church was painted, hardwood floors installed and the choir and chancel area updated to the present configuration.
In 1950, we celebrated the centennial year of the church’s organization. The church members decided that stained glass windows would add to the beauty and dignity of the sanctuary. The Black Art Glass Company of San Antonio drew symbolic designs specifically for this sanctuary. In the Gothic Arch of each window, a different symbol is set in a ruby design of the quartrefoil and square, emblematic of the gospel of the four apostles. The same designs and symbols were incorporated into the kneeling cushions at the altar rail. In 1985, protective coverings were installed over the stained glass windows.

The choir loft was revamped by the installation of 23 theater type seats.
By 1954 the organ needed extensive repair. Otto Hoffman of San Antonio was called in to rebuild and enlarge the organ. It was fully electrified and some new functional pipes were installed behind the old organ pipe facade. Panel doors were added to the front of the organ expansion to permit listener viewing, a feature usually seen only on older European organs. According to Mr. Hoffmann, materials and construction of this organ was of such that it would last for centuries given proper care.




The old parsonage was used as the youth center from 1958 to 1985 when it was replaced by the Family Life Center which was begun and completed in 1986.

