First Presbyterian Church, Fresno

First Presbyterian Church
1540 M St 
History:

Fresno was not the first Fresno in California. Along the San Joaquin River about 15 miles to the west of here Fresno City was started. Brewer describes it as:

Fresno “City” consists of one large house, very dilapidated, one small ditto, one barn, one small dilapidated and empty warehouse, and a corral.1 It is surrounded by swamps, now covered with rushes, the green of which was cheering to the eye after the desolation through which we had passed. These swamps extend southeast to Tulare Lake. We got into the place after much difficulty, but our animals had to content themselves with eating the coarse rushes that grew on the edges of the swamp. The cattle and horses that live on this look well.  

The story has it we could have been called Crocker, Huntington, Hopkins or Stanford if a cartographer had his way. Instead, he was convinced by a group of co-workers that this desolate waste of a place should not have that important of a name. So he saw a small green tree and asked what it was-an ash tree. In reality, it probably was just a large green bush. But he said ash tree that is Fresno in Spanish. In 1856, the first settlers moved into this area. It incorporated in 1885. In the 1870's it became the county seat of Fresno.

In a lot of ways, we can understand the climate of early Fresno by understanding what was happening to its churches. First Presbyterian Church was started 132 years ago, in 1882 at a location where the Fresno Memorial Auditorium is currently situated, at the corner of Fresno and N St. Services were held in the White School.  In 1896 a fire break out, destroying the church building. Several other churches where also burnt during this time. While there was no official cause given, it was noted that this was a period of moral development, ie, a time when various establishments were feeling threatened by this change.

The first did not stop the voice of First Presbyterian church. Mayor Parker Lyons (1905-1908) and the church fought, with the church opening talking about the corrupt politics of the time from the pulpit-a sermon preached about hell-fire and brimstone was made with Lyon being the target. Lyon's was in league with the saloons and the city's "tenderloin" district-prostitution was ram-pet. One story about Lyons was that after the 1906 earthquake, prostitutes migrated to Fresno. Lyon's madam friends complained about the competition. So Lyons commissioned a train car to take the excess prostitutes and a few Baptists to Los Angeles, since LA lacked the entertainment Fresno had. One thing we will not see today is the old Fresno Brewery on M St.

In 1922, the church moved into its present location-the current sanctuary was completed in 1947.  As the city grew, so did the congregation. Other churches were spun off. Not only did October 1929 bring the start of the Great Depression, but it also marked the first religious broadcast in Fresno-on KMJ. During World Word II, 15,000 service personnel were stationed around Fresno. Services, including religious, grew around Fresno to provide for these service people. It should be noted, the influx of people into Fresno during WW II was not only service men, but also Japanese internees. Two temporary camps were created: one at the fairgrounds, the other at the Pinedale air field.

A reflection of the times is the influx of Southeast Asians into the area. Consequently, the City of Fresno has had to adapt, as well as various groups, such as churches. Also with gangs being a major Fresno issue, two groups also work on this churches campus: Hope Now For Youth-an organization which assists former gang members to find jobs and was part of the All-American City drive, and Bethany Inner City to