Old Kingsport Presbyterian Church

Old Kingsport Presbyterian Church is an historic church located in Kingsport, Tennessee. The church was organized May 20, 1820 as the Boatyard Congregation. It is the oldest one of any denomination in the city of Kingsport. It is a member of the Presbyterian Church .HistoryThe congregation was organized in 1820. It originally met in a log structure located in the present-day Old Kingsport Presbyterian Church cemetery. The cemetery remains in use and contains several graves from the nineteenth century in its oldest section.The first pastor was the Rev. Robert Glenn (1820-1826).The Rev. Dr. Frederick A. Ross, owner of Rotherwood Mansion in Kingsport, was minister from 1826 to 1852. He did not receive compensation for his service. Under Ross' leadership, the church grew rapidly, quickly outgrowing its log building. Dr. Ross financed the construction of the current church building in 1845, with the labor of his own slaves; the building was dedicated on July 18, 1846. Ross also donated the church the large brass bell that still calls people to worship; the bell was made in West Troy, New York, by the famous Meneely Bell Foundry. The building is consider a fine example of Greek Revival architecture and is one of the oldest extant structures in Kingsport.The American Civil War led to a period of decline in both Kingsport and the church. Membership slowly declined in the decades following the war, with a long series of pastors each serving for brief periods during this time (1865-1910).