OUR HISTORY
Our story begins in 1853, when a small group of Aiken Presbyterians petitioned the Charleston Presbytery to be organized as a church. Early meetings of the 14-member congregation were held upstairs in the Aiken Town Hall on Laurens Street until a sanctuary could be built. After receiving a donation of property on the southeast corner of Railroad (Park) Avenue and Laurens Street, construction was completed in 1859, with a dedication ceremony held in May.
The church continued to grow and in 1925, a new facility was built on the same site. In the early 1950s membership grew and in 1957, the “Grace Estate” was willed to the church by the Eugene Grace family. The grounds were located just south of the church property. This gift alleviated Sunday School crowding, and provided a splendid setting for weddings, receptions, and Easter sunrise services.
Continued growth reached a new high and in 1962 the congregation once again began to undertake plans for a new facility. In March, 1968, the Building Commission moved expeditiously into a construction campaign. Property was purchased on the corner of Laurens and Barnwell Avenue and the townspeople watched with interest as the non-traditional design took shape. Construction was completed in the fall of 1969 with worship services beginning October 1969.
In 1993 our Family Life Center, a multipurpose building, was dedicated. It has become a highly utilized element in our congregational life activities as well as serving the community of Aiken.
