First United Methodist Church

In the 1850s, Methodism spread across south Texas and into New Braunfels. Many German-speaking immigrants in communities like New Braunfels would be converted to Methodism. In 1853 a circuit rider, Rev. Henry P. Young, established the New Braunfels congregation as part of a circuit which included other German-speaking congregations in the area. This action was followed by the appointment of rev. J.W. Devilbiss as the presiding elder of the German district which covered all of Texas. Living in New Braunfels, Devilbiss trained ministers and gathered German-speaking converts to Methodism. In 1858, a church building was constructed in the Comaltown area of New Braunfels on Union Street. Among the converts was the Karbach family who strongly supported the growing church community by hosting Sunday school, preaching and hosting camp meetings on their ranch. By 1913, the Methodist community had grown and a new church building named Karbach Memorial Methodist church was constructed on west San Antonio Street. In 1916 the church was no longer on a circuit. Over the next decades, the church moved from German-speaking to bilingual to English-speaking. by 1952 membership passed 500. That year a new sanctuary was built on the San Antonio street site and renamed First Methodist Church. By 1980 membership surpassed 1000. In 2005, to continue its mission of outreach, the congregation sponsored a daughter church, Gruene United Methodist Church. Today both congregations are thriving and continuing to serve god and the people of the area.

First United Methodist Church is a historical marker in New Braunfels, Comal County, dedicated in 2015. It is one of 106 historical markers documented in Comal County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 256 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.6990, -98.1286 near New Braunfels. The nearest cataloged historic site is Holz--Forshage--Krueger Building (historic place), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Ullrich Home, Old New Braunfels High School, and New Braunfels Railroad Museum.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507018183. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.