City Area: F. H. Latimer Survey - First Addition to the Town site 1891-1895.
In 1897 a wood frame Church was built on the present date site of what is now known as the Nelson United Church.
In 1908, Architect Thomas Hooper of Hooper and Watkins, Vancouver, was retained to draw the plans for a more permanent structure. The completed Church, known as Trinity Methodist was dedicated on 07 March 1909.
The architecture is one of Romanesque Revival with Gothic Revival features. The granite for the walls was quarried locally; the marble from Marblehead in the Lardeau; and, the cedar, used in the interior, was locally milled.
Although made of fine stone the Church was not immune to fire. On 15 January 1915 the Church was razed to her foundations. She rose once again on these same foundations and was ready for worship in 1916. On 17 April 1967 the Church was again destroyed by fire and rose from the ashes to be rededicated on 09 March 1969.
The original pipe organ, installed in 1923, as a memorial to those who lost their lives in W.W.1, was destroyed in the fire of 1967. A magnificent new organ was custom made for the newly rebuilt Church by the Keates Organ Company of Acton, Ontario. The tone of this organ is said to be reminiscent of those in the great Cathedrals of Europe. Today you will find few in her Congregation to disagree.
In 1925 the Congregations of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in Canada combined to form the United Church of Canada. As a result, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church and the Trinity Methodist Churches became United Churches. Owing to their large Congregations both Churches continued to offer services.
In 1956 the Congregations of both Churches amalgamated to form St. Paul’s Trinity United Church. In 1958 Fairview United Church was created to offer services and did so until joining with the present Church in 1995. This combination formed what is known today as the Nelson United Church.
Today the Church stands as a proud memorial to a strong and vital Congregation that would not allow adversity to dim their faith.
The Church was part of the 2009 Heritage Home Tour.
The photograph of the Church is courtesy of the Nelson United Church, http://www.nelsonunitedchurch.ca/ Visit the website of the Church to learn of the remarkable story of the Trinity Bell http://www.nelsonunitedchurch.ca/history/The%20bell1.html
