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Cage 314
Pullman Community Congregational Church
Records, 1886-1974
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| Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 Inquiries |
Cage 314
Pullman Community Congregational Church
Records, 1886-1974
The records of the Community Congregational Church of Pullman were donated to the Washington State University Library in April and May 1975 through the office of the church historian, Mr. Leonard Young. The records were processed in June and July 1975 by Lawrence Stark. Additional records were received in Sept. 1975 and processed in Oct. 1975 by Lawrence Stark. Further church records have been received and processed as Cage 448. Related records are also located in Cage 480.
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY
The Pullman Community Congregational Church was originally incorporated in 1886 as the First Congregational Church of Pullman. It was the first church formally organized in Pullman, although a loosely-organized Methodist congregation preceded it by four years. The Congregationalists located their church building at the corner of High and Paradise Streets on Pullman's Pioneer Hill, rebuilding at the same location when their structure burned in the fire which destroyed much of the town in 1890.
The church entered into a federation with a Pullman Baptist congregation in 1913, after which a new building was constructed on the outskirts of the Washington State University campus. The federation, however, tended to be heavily dominated by the Congregationalist element; consequently the Baptist congregation lost the recognition of the Baptist conventions. This resulted in the creation of a new and separate Baptist congregation and virtual nullification of the federation. Recognizing that the Federated Church was in reality but another manifestation of the First Congregational Church, the pastor and officers reincorporated the organization as the Community Congregational Church in 1937.
The Community Congregational Church continued to use the Federated Church buildings and facilities after 1937. In 1954, the old Federated Church building was converted to meeting rooms and a new church building was constructed in an adjacent location. In 1961, the church entered into the United Church of Christ, a national denomination encompassing Congregational and Reformed churches. For a history of the Community Congregational Church see Otho West, I Remember, and The Congregationalists (Pullman: Community Congregational Church, 1970.)
DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS
The Community Congregational Church records consist of thirty-six volumes in which have been entered membership rolls, minutes of meetings, financial records, and the acts of the church; and approximately 1280 items of correspondence, membership lists, financial records, minutes, resolutions, printed materials and photographs. Although the earliest records date from 1886, these appear to have been transcribed in 1891, possibly because of the loss of the earlier records in a fire which destroyed the church edifice in 1890. The earlier records--those in bound form--are principally concerned with recording formal acts of the church, such as minutes of meetings and lists of officers and members. Later records include some correspondence, memoranda and fuller documentation of activities of the church and of the persons who served as pastors and officers. Significant correspondents, other than pastors, include Edward F. Gaines, Carl Milton Brewster and Otho West.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE RECORDS
The arrangement of the records is based on the different practices of record keeping used by the church. These practices result in the records being ordered in two series, one series of record books and a second series of other. Generally, the church's early records are found in the bound volumes, while foldered items record later events. A considerable chronological overlap exists, nevertheless. Within each series are found several subseries, the most important of which consists of membership records, minutes, correspondence, financial records and church publications. Material within the various subseries is generally arranged in a chronological sequence.
Series 1: Record Books
Volume
SubSeries 1.1: General records, 1886-1919 1-2
SubSeries 1.2: Minutes of governing bodies, 1903-1960 3-14
SubSeries 1.3: Financial records, 1899-1964 15-22
SubSeries 1.4: Sunday School records, 1939-1940 23
SubSeries 1.5: Women's Society records, 1902-1942 24-28
SubSeries 1.6: Young Peoples' Society records, 1900-1915, 1958-1970 29-31
SubSeries 1.7: Scrapbook, ca. 1955 32
Series 2: Records
Containers
SubSeries 2.1: Articles of incorporation, by-laws, organizational documents, 1886-1970 1
SubSeries 2.2: Reports, 1918-1974 1
SubSeries 2.3: Correspondence, 1894-1973 2
SubSeries 2.4: Minutes, resolutions, reports, ballots, 1921-1973 3
SubSeries 2.5: Membership lists, 1920-1970 3
SubSeries 2.6: Financial records, 1907-1973 4-5
SubSeries 2.7: Printed materials and photographs, 1891-1970 6-7
SubSeries 2.8: Additional Records, 1961-1965 7
CONTAINER LIST