Among the early pioneers of Northville was a RevolutionaryWar veteran named Joseph Yerkes.  He became convinced that this small settlement in which he lived could support a church.  Yerkes, with his sister Mary and six others, petitioned the Elders of their Farmington, Michigan congregation, asking that they be allowed to organize a new church in this northern section of Plymouth Township.  Back then, our church was known as the First Presbyterian Church of Plymouth.  Churches were especially important to the early pioneers.  Often it was the church leaders who also led the way in industrial, educational, and cultural growth, while attending the spiritual needs of the community.  Churches became public gathering places.

This First Presbyterian Church of Plymouth was established in 1829.  The services were first held in the home of Joseph Yerkes, and then moved to a log school house, since it was empty on the Sabbath.  That school house was located at the corner of Griswold and Baseline.  Later, a stone school house located on Hutton Avenue was used.  In 1867, the Village of Northville was formed, and in 1869, the members of the church votedto change the name to First Presbyterian Society of Northville.

By 1831, a post office was established in Northville, and mail arrived here  once a week.  In 1835, land was purchased on Main Street, and the first actual church building was constructed.  It was a wooden frame building, 24' x 33', and it cost approximately $330.  This structure served as the Presbyterian Meeting House until 1845, when it was moved to Cady Street, where our Christian Education wing now stands.

Our congregation had outgrown our building once again, and a new sanctuary was proposed and built, this time along more classic lines, at a cost of $3,000.  The supporting walls of the new structure were 16" thick,and the building resembled a typical New England-styled church.  At that time, the entrance was off Main Street, through a porch with fluted columns.  The center portion of that building remains an unidentifiable part of the lower level of the present church.  That building, which was one of the oldest church buildings in all of Michigan, is thought to be the oldest Protestant church in one place, in continuous use, west of the Allegheny Mountains.  Members of the church met in that building for 124 years.  (And thanks to an early member, we have a brick from that building.)  The Historical Marker Plaque on Main Street recognizes how long the church has been in this location.

In 1889, electric lights became available in the area, and by 1897, the Northville Telephone Company opened with a capacity for 100 subscribers.  In 1904, the Village Library was founded, thanks to Dr. Mary E. Lapham.  There was a tremendous amount of residential and business growth in thearea, and in 1919, Henry Ford opened the Northville Ford Factory, the firstof the cottage industries.

The building prior to the current sanctuary was called Presbyterian Church House.   Largely a gift of Mr. & Mrs. P. H. Grennan, it was built in 1929, and in the early 1930's.  What is now Boll Fellowship Hall was constructed behind the sanctuary.  Some records indicate that Fellowship Hall was actually an existing building in Detroit, which Mr. Grennan paid to have dismantled and rebuilt as an addition to our church. After that work was completed, there was no new construction from the Depression through the 1950's.

At the annual meeting of the Presbyterian Church in 1963, the congregation voted to raise funds and begin construction of the Christian Education unit.  Dedication of that wing took place on October 4,1964, with Reverend Lloyd Brasure officiating.  The unit included16 classrooms in the two-story building.

In March, 1969, the members of the church conducted a campaign drive to raise funds for the construction of a new sanctuary to increase seating capacity.  Its cost was estimated at over $270,000.  The edifice we now use was dedicated in 1970.  Topping this 400 seat brick sanctuary is an 83 foot high belfry, constructed of steel in the state of Georgia,which is lit at night.  This building is a blend of classic styles with six Roman Doric (?) columns forming the facade facing Main Street,and side entrances of late Georgian style on both Church Street (east)and Mary Alexander Court (west).

 

During 1990 and 1991, plans were drawn to renovate, update and improve the entire facility.  A $1 million dollar campaign took place, which made many improvements tothe facility, created new staff offices, and air conditioned part of the structure, installing an elevator, creating handicapped rest room facilities and improving our fellowship hall.  And, the campaign included the acquisition of a $300,000 Casavant organ, which was given to the church by Larry and Anita Bennett.

In the fall of 2000, the congregation pledged to support a new Vision for our Church.  In the spring of 2001, the renovation of Boll Hall and the Christian Education wing began, as well as the addition of more classrooms and a Christian Life Center. The building was expanded from 29126 sq.ft. to 42258 sq.ft.The new classrooms, meeting rooms, main kitchen and Christian Life Center were dedicated on September 8, 2002.

The membership, as of June, 2003, stands at 1,219.

The First Presbyterian Church of Northville has had over 40 ministers and assistants.  The Reverend James Dubuar is the longest serving pastor of the church, around the time of the Civil War, for 23 years. Reverend Lloyd Brasure, who served during the 1960's and 70's for 19 years, is now the Pastor Emeritus.

Today, Reverend W. Kent Clise is the senior pastor, assisted by associate pastor Reverend James Russell.