First Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian Church is the only remaining church in Fulton designed and built by M.F. Bell. During the last quarter of the 19th century, congregations of Court Street Methodist, First Baptist, and First Christian Churches also worshiped in buildings designed by the well-known local architect.
Built in 1885, the First Presbyterian Church has been hailed as an excellent example of the Gothic Revival style with its crenelated towers, stone arches and arched stained glass windows. The original construction cost was $42,000: $13,000 for the exterior and $29,000 for the interior which features hand grained wood, crafted by Ed and George Bellaman, that covers the entire ceiling and the curved balcony. Over the years, despite additions and renovations made to address the changing needs of the congregation, the historic integrity of the original church structure has been preserved. One noticeable difference between the early postcard and recent photo is the presence of a steeple on the postcard. After lightning struck the steeple in 1929, it was removed; the northwest tower was shortened, and the brick facade was crenelated to match the tower on the south of the building.