HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS

Click on the title graphic box to view a PDF of the historical artifacts.

This page includes links to artifacts saved since 1844 - photographs, newspaper articles, previous histories, celebration commemorations, a history of the different Central locations, early church bulletins, etc. The album of artifacts was assembled by Central Member Ellen Schmidt.

EARLY PASTORS AND OFFICERS

The first group of artifacts includes:

  • a compilation of drawings and photographs of the first six Central pastors surrounding an early photograph of the church at Lucas and Garrison.
  • hand written registers of the original elders and deacons at Central dating back to 1844 and continuing through 1910.

EIGHTH AND LOCUST ERA ARTIFACTS

This section of the artifacts is concerned with the church during the years of 1848-1876 at the Eighth and Locust location. Included are:

  • Grave marker of the first two pastors, Alexander Van Court and S.F.P Anderson.
  • The register of the first pastors.
  • A sketch of the 8th and Locust building.
  • Photographs of early prominent members, St. Louis Mayor John Wimer and future Attorney General to Abraham Lincoln, Edward Bates.
  • Correspondence, receipts and account registers from the early years.
  • An example of a commitment to pay a pew tax, the accepted way to finance churches in the mid-1880s.
  • Documents from the Civil War era.

LUCAS AND GARRISON ERA ARTIFACTS

This section of artifacts includes:

  • Budgets and statements from the 1890s.
  • Reports on outreach.
  • Profiles of Dr. and Mrs. Brank.
  • Documents referencing the new building project at Lucas and Garrison.
  • A copy of the Compton and Dry 1875 sketch of St. Louis including the Lucas and Garrison location.
  • An old photograph of the Lucas and Garrison location with an insert of Rev. Mauze.
  • A photograph of the beautiful Lucas and Garrison sanctuary which sat 1000 worshippers.
  • Information about short term pastors, A.F. Carr and Edward Mack.

1883 HISTORICAL DOCUMENT AND DIRECTORY

In 1883 a pamphlet was written documenting the history of Central to that date. The booklet also included the directory of the membership.

CLARA AND DELMAR ERA ARTIFACTS

These artifacts include:

 

  • Information about search for a new church property, and pictures of the new church facility at Clara and Delmar.
  • Descriptions of the new stained glass windows donated to Clara and Delmar and subsequently moved to Hanley and Davis.
  • Information about the resignation of Dr. D.C. MacLeod and the hiring of PastorJames Fowle.
  • Various picturres from the era and announcements of evangelists that visited Centtal.

 

1909 CLARA AND DELMAR BUILDING COMMITTEE REPORT

These artifacts include:

 

  • An exhaustive report of the workings of the building committee for the new church at Clara and Delmar.
  • A listing of those who donated to the building fund for the church.

 

HANLEY AND DAVIS ERA ARTIFACTS

The Hanley and Davis artifacts include:

  • Newspaper clippings reporting on the merger of Central and Clayton Presbyterian Church.
  • Information about Dr. Walter Langtry, the pastor at Clayton Presbyterian who became the Pastor Emeritus at Central.
  • Much information about the building, financing and celebrating the new building at Hanley and Davis.
  • Information about the next pastor, Theodore Smylie.
  • Documents referencing the campaign to "Save Central" after the ravishes of The Depression caused major shortfalls in paying for the new building.
  • Information about Dr. B. Frank Hall who became senior pastor in 1938.
  • Information about Dr. J. Layton Mauze, Jr., senior pastor from 1949-1970.
  • Information about Dr. Andrew Jumper, pastor from 1970-1991.

REPORT OF THE 1931 HANLEY/DAVIS BUILDING COMMITTEE

The report of The Hanley and Davis Building Committee in 1931.

OVERVIEW OF THE 1931 HANLEY/DAVIS BUILDING

The published overview pamphlet of the new Hanley and Davis Church in 1931.

1931 CONSECRATION SERVICE FOR THE HANLEY/DAVIS BUILDING

The worship folder from the 1931 consecration service of the new Hanley and Davis facility.

CELEBRATION SERVICE FOR THE 1934 90TH ANNIVERSARY

Information about the 1934 90th Anniversary celebration.

CELEBRATION SERVICE FOR THE 1944 ANNIVERSARY

Information about the 1944 100th Anniversary celebration.

CELEBRATION OF 10 YEARS AS PASTOR FOR FRANK HALL

Information about the celebration of B. Frank Hall's first ten years at Central as senior pastor.

A JOURNAL OF CHURCH HISTORY COMPILED IN THE 1950S

During the 1950s, a church historian dutifully recorded the known history of the church on typed journal pages.

 

1955 CHILDREN'S BUILDING ARTIFACTS

The Children's Building was completed in 1955. The artifacts include:

 

  • Newspaper articles about the capital campaign.
  • Renderings of the building as it was to look after completion.
  • Many photographs of the construction process.
  • Photographs fo the dedication ceremony in 1955.
  • Many pictures of children involved in ministry at the new facility.

 

1955 DEDICATION SERVICE FOR THE CHILDREN'S BUILDING

Historical Journal about Central written in the 1950s.

1978 HISTORY DOCUMENT

A documented history of Central Presbyterian Church written in 1978 by the then Director of Communication, Pierre Baptiste.

1978 HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS FROM CENTRAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

In 1978 Central launched a campaign to greatly enhance the Central School for the Early Years at 700 South Hanley Road. The artifacts include:

  • Photographs of the ground-breaking.

  • The litany for the ground breaking ceremony.

  • Many photographs of the construction.

  • Resources that celebrated the completion of the work.

1982 CENTRAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL BUILDING PROPOSAL

In 1982, due to the immediate success of the Central Christian School building and the need for more space, both for the school and the church, a proposal was launched to greatly enlarge the Hanley Road property. That plan did not come to fruition.

VARIOUS CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL'S HISTORY

Over the course of Central's history, the church was always quick to celebrate God's faithfulness. This section of artifacts documents some of those celebrations.

VARIOUS ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS

Other pages were included in the Historical Artifacts that were not easily categorized. They are included here.