| An Overview: Looking at the history of College Hill Presbyterian Church is like viewing a lovely range of hills layered one behind the other. Often the story of one generation is repeated by the ones that come afterward.
In its beginning, The Hill came into the ownership of William Cary, a man “possessed of broad ideals, determined as far as possible to implant here the religious and educational facilities he had left in his New England home.” As a result, the Farmer’s College (1847) and the Ohio Female College (1849) were established, and the village changed it’s name from Pleasant Hill to College Hill. “In the beginning of the year 1853, it was thought that the time had come for lighting another torch – for kindling a more sacred fire.” On the 23rd of April, 1853, thirty-three persons resolved and covenanted to organize and to walk according to the rules and ordinances of the Presbyterian Church and adopted the name of First Presbyterian Church of College Hill.” |
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| They wished to “erect a capacious church edifice that would accommodate 800 people and which should be 50 x 70 feet in size. It was dedicated nearly four years later at a cost of $10,332.20. One half of the cost was donated by William Cary and his family. Faith, work and prayer with great self-denial on the part of very many finally saw the wished for result.”
These were good years for the church. It was a new ministry. The attendance of many college students gave it a lively spirit. As they left after their studies, they became the “seed scattered and sown in many directions springing up in many fields.” The impact of the Civil War was great. Farmers College was dissolved after its body of students enlisted to fight in the war. The Female College was sold. College students no longer came to College Hill to be educated. The area became isolated until after the War when a home missionary effort was started on Cedar Avenue for “poor unfortunate refugees from the South.” Aside from that, people felt that there was “no need for anything else like mission work since all were good neighbors already and went to church.” |
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On Sunday, August 12, 1888, the church building was demolished by a storm as described in this letter:
My Dear Mother - We had a terrific storm on the Hill yesterday. Trees and large limbs were demolished. The ground all strewn with fruit, and worst of all, the old Pres. church caved in. It was a most miraculous escape for the congregation. We left the church at about 12:15 and at about 2 o’clock the building was wrecked. The wind was from the N.W. and blew the steeple over onto the roof which collapsed and had the people still been in the bldg. no one but the preacher and choir could have escaped. The organ was not injured, as a little piece of roof is left over it. The walls are all standing except a few courses of brick on the top. Yours affectionately, Howard F. Carey The bell,the organ, and the chancel furniture alone escaped. Using this tragedy as an opportunity for improvement, an entirely new stone church was built and dedicated in 1890. |
| Growth: At the beginning of the 20th century, College Hill began to grow by leaps and bounds. Street car service had begun, which resulted in a great increase in the growth of the community and of the church. The Sunday School grew rapidly. Community involvement flourished. The north room of the church, now the chapel, was used daily for Red Cross work and supplies during WWI.
During and after WWII, there was a population explosion. College Hill more than doubled in the span between 1940 and 1950. There was need for more room in the church. On June 17, 1951, ground was broken for an enlarged Sanctuary. During construction, worship services were held in the Hollywood Theater (now House of Joy). On Sunday, January 4, 1953, almost one hundred years after the church was formed, the new Sanctuary was dedicated to the service of God. |
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As attendance and staffing also increased, the facilities continued to expand.
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The golden, stained glass windows in the chapel area were dedicated by the church’s Sunday School to Mrs. Mary Pyle who loved mission work and died about 1890 on the speakers platform at a synodical meeting. Those windows and the ones in the adjoining Narthex were part of the old church building.
The six stained glass windows in the two ambulatories and in the balcony are memorials given at the time of the 1951 remodeling of the church. They were designed and executed in the same rich stained glass colors used in Gothic cathedrals by master artists. The balcony windows depict Jesus’ ministries. The south wall windows depict the sacraments, baptism and communion on either side of the beautiful figure of Christ. The ambulatory windows depict six parables of Jesus: the Pharisee and the Publican, the Good Samaritan, the Net of Fishes, the Vineyard, the Sower and the Lost Sheep. In 1970, the magnificent cross (now in the Atrium), the 7-branching candelabra, and the ten aisle candelabra were beautifully handcrafted by a master artisan who afterwards retired. |
| College Hill Presbyterian Church continues to mirror the previous generations, possessing the same “broad ideals” and reaching out to Connect, Serve and Celebrate God’s love and grace in the name of Jesus Christ. |