First United Methodist Church, Methodist church in downtown Reno, United States.
First United Methodist Church is a Gothic Revival church built of poured concrete, one of the first such buildings in Reno. It was designed by Wythe, Blaken, and Olson of Oakland, and its cornerstone was placed in 1926. The church has a cross-shaped plan and a bell tower.
The congregation was organized in 1868 by Reverend Thomas McGrath, making it Reno's first organized church; meetings began in a schoolhouse at First and Sierra Streets. A first church was dedicated on Sierra Street in 1871, and in the early 1900s that wood-framed building was moved to the back of the lot with a brick structure added. The present building, designed by Wythe, Blaken and Olson of Oakland, had its cornerstone placed in 1926 and was dedicated that December; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The congregation was organized in 1868 by the Methodist Reverend Thomas McGrath and was the first organized church in Reno; it still counts almost 400 members. The building serves as an active place of worship, and visitors may attend services and events held there.
The building is located in downtown Reno and is easily accessible from the main street. Visit during daylight hours to fully appreciate the stained-glass windows, especially when sunlight passes through them and illuminates the interior spaces.
The 1983 National Register listing covers two contributing buildings: the 1926 concrete church and a parish house designed by local architect Donald Parsons around 1940. A 1965 addition added the fellowship hall and Sunday school classrooms.
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