First United Methodist Church

The first building of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Starkville, erected in 1839, was a two-story brick building with an open fireplace. By the 1850s, the walls had become so severely cracked it was propped up with heavy timbers. Soon deemed unsafe, the building was torn down.

The second church was a larger frame building erected on the old foundation. It had columns around three sides. In 1885, the third building was built as a large gothic style with vaulted ceilings. After much debate, it was decided that the church would face south, a tradition that continues today. 

The present building was built on the site of the previous 3 in 1926. With growing membership and activities, the education building was built in 1964 and dedicated after its final payment in 1973. The Christian Life Center was added in 1996.

In 1845, the dividing date of the Methodists of the north and south, the denomination’s official name was changed to Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

The name, Methodist Episcopal South, of Starkville, remained until 1939 when national unification occurred and the church was renamed First Methodist Church.

In 1968, with the mergers of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the church name became Starkville First United Methodist Church