Five East Texas fire departments responded to a fire that destroyed a 163-year-old Methodist church in Marshall on Monday morning. In the 1860s, the church served as an ammunition depot and meeting place for Confederate leaders, including President Jefferson Davis.
Around 1 a.m. Monday, four ladder trucks and about 75 firefighters from five area fire departments responded to the historic First Methodist Church in Marshall. The church is located just east of the historic Harrison County Courthouse, KLTV ABC7. reported.
By sunrise, investigators reported that the cupola and much of the roof had collapsed.
Built in 1861, the church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been marked by the Texas Historical Commission. The commission says the church is one of the few examples of a “large-scale Greek Revival church” design in the state.
According to records from Stephen F. Austin State University, “During the Civil War, ammunition was stored in the basement and the original church bell was given to the Confederate army, replacing it with a bell stolen from Federal troops in 1865. It is said that
According to a KLTV article, the Department of the Interior reports that in 1862, a conference of governors led by Confederate President Jefferson Davis was held at the church.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation Monday. The Marshall Fire Department requested assistance from the State Fire Marshal's Office.
bob price He is an associate editor and senior news contributor on the Breitbart Texas Border Team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston What is your point? sunday morning talk show. He is also the president of blue wonder cancer care products.
