First Christian Church of Palmer

In 1853 disciples in the area around Rockett and Brushy Creek (8 miles northwest) established a church called "Liberty-Sylvania". Members of the congregation were instrumental in the formation of new churches in Corinth, Ferris, Palmer and Waxahachie. Two members of the church at Rockett, Robert "Uncle Bob" Smith and his wife Lavisa, moved their family to Palmer in 1868. With their help the First Christian Church of Palmer was organized that same year. A one-room schoolhouse served as the first meeting place. An agreement, signed in 1880 by representatives of the Baptist, Christian, and Cumberland Presbyterian churches of the town, called for the construction of a community church building. Completed later that year on Dallas Street, the Palmer Union Church sanctuary was used by all three congregations. Each church was assigned a specific Sunday of every month for their services. Members of the First Christian Church constructed their own sanctuary at the intersection of Dallas and Jefferson Streets in 1898. The congregation moved to this site in 1940 when the present brick edifice was completed. The church bell, still in use, is from the Palmer Union Church building.

First Christian Church of Palmer is a historical marker in Palmer, Ellis County, dedicated in 1980. It is one of 116 historical markers documented in Ellis County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 300 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.4339, -96.6681 near Palmer. The nearest cataloged historic site is First Baptist Church of Palmer (historical marker), about 0.3 miles away. Others within a short drive include Harkey - Payne House, Lucille Cemetery, and Stacks Family Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5139007103. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.