First United Methodist Church of Del Rio

Six individuals met on September 23, 1882 to create the Methodist Episcopal Church South, the forerunner of First United Methodist Church of Del Rio. These first congregants were Randolph Pafford,J. Lyman Bailey, William M. Bailey, Sarah Bailey, Rosalie Roberts and William G. Hancock. During the earliest days of the congregation’s existence, church meetings were held in the homes of members. Pafford donated a town lot and $500 to the church in 1883, and a wood-frame structure was soon erected on cemetery street (now Pecan street), on what was then the northern edge of town. Growth of the congregation was modest into the 20th century, and a stone chapel was constructed in 1903-1904. The congregation grew to slightly greater than three hundred members by 1917, as members opened their homes to soldier trainees at Camp del Rio, later known as Camp Michie. Continued growth of the congregation created the necessity for another, larger facility, and the first service in the new building was held on may 31, 1931. The larger sanctuary was well justified, as the congregation doubled in size to over seven hundred members between the world wars. The growth of the city and the opening of laughlin air force base facilitated the enlargement of the membership to more than nine hundred during the 1960s. In 1968, the Methodist Church and Evangelical United Brethren Church merged into the United Methodist Church. The church has promoted missions and charitable work after numerous hurricanes, as well as abroad in Mexico and Liberia, and also provides numerous outreach programs throughout the local community. (2008)

First United Methodist Church of Del Rio is a historical marker in Del Rio, Val Verde County, dedicated in 2008. It is one of 61 historical markers documented in Val Verde County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 78 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.3600, -100.8977 near Del Rio. The nearest cataloged historic site is Camp Hudson, C. S. A. (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Val Verde County Courthouse Square, Val Verde County Courthouse, and Elks Lodge Hall.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015363. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.