Grayson County TXGenWeb

Waples Methodist Church
Denison, Texas

The city of Denison was founded in 1872 as a terminus for the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas railroad. The city began as a melting pot of many different cultures and included some very colorful characters in the beginning. Nearly 3,000 people called Denison home in 1875 with over $3,500 worth of city lots sold within the first day of lot sales. A main commercial district was quickly established along Main Street while the less desirable businesses such as saloons were required to remain on a side street known as "Skiddy Street".

Several different religious denominations began to sprout up in Denison rather quickly after the town was founded, one of the first of which was the Methodist Episcopal Church South. As the town grew, more and more people began making Denison a permanent residence rather than a stop along the railroad lines, and by 1886 the city had a population of approximately 11,000. With the influx of all different people entering the town, more establishments were needed and more churches sprouted up to better serve the growing population. One church in particular was willing to brave the undesirable red light district, known as Skiddy Street, to help spread Christianity throughout the fledgling city; that church would eventually come to be known as Waples United Methodist Church.

Southern Methodism had its first entrance into Denison's history in 1873 when a Mr. Ball came to Denison to take a census to learn how many citizens were Methodists. Ball's trip to Denison was a success and he was able to find some 40 citizens who were of the Methodist denomination. On March 14, 1873, Reverend Alexander Jamison was sent by Bishop Wiley to Denison
to represent the missionary Board of the Methodist Episcopal Church to organize a church in Denison. In March of 1875, the Southern Methodists began to seek bids for the erection of a house of worship that was to be located at 430 W. Skiddy Street.

Sherman Democrat
July 4, 1976
Section D, pg.6

SEVEN DENISON CHURCHES ESTABLISHED BEFORE 1900
Denison - At least seven Denison churches date their establishment in 1900 or before.

Southern Methodism began in Denison in 1875 with a mission church at 430 W. Chestnut, with the Rev. Z. Parker as pastor.
A new church was built at 830 W. Main in 1889, and the first gift to the building fund was $3,000 from E.B. Waples. Thus, it was named Waples Memorial Methodist Church. An educational building was added in 1924, and both were dismantled in 1963 to make room for the present plant completed in 1965.

Shortly thereafter, the new mission church was complete and ready for worship services. The mission church began under
the leadership of Reverend Z. Parker and was a mission project of the North Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The church was a one-room style building with a bell tower. The mission on Skiddy Street continued as a mission church until 1881 when it was granted an official charter. By this time Methodism had gained such a following within the city that it was no longer deemed a mission and became a true church of Denison with its first regular pastor, Reverend
C.I. McWhister. On January 13,1881 in order for the mission to become a church in the Methodist Episcopal Conference, the church building was purchased by the conference at a sum of $200 so as to make it an official asset of the Methodist Episcopal Church rather than a mission church. The Methodist Episcopal churches in Texas in 1887 were growing so rapidly that it led to the organization of an annual conference in many areas including the Sherman-Denison Conference.

Around 1887, Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Waples, for whom the church is named in memory of, became members of the young Methodist congregation. Mr. Waples came to Texas in 1877 and resided in Sherman for the first ten years that he lived in Texas before settling in Denison in 1877. He became a senior partner in the grocery firm of Waples, Platter & Company, and also had a large interest in the Bluff City Lumber Company. Mr. Waples and his wife were strict members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and were regarded by the citizens of Denison as "two of the most upright and valuable members of the community".
On December 31, 1888, the Trustees of the Methodist Church executed a note to Mr. Waples in the amount of $1,692.76 bearing ten percent interest and secured by a mortgage on the property. On March 5, 1891, the note amounting to $1,692.76 (plus $540 in interest) was released to the church on on the payment of only $1.00 to Mr. Waples.

Southern Methodism continued to grow in Denison until the congregation quickly outgrew the first church building, and in 1898 plans for the main auditorium of a new church began. Under the pastorate of Reverend P.C. Archer, the members of the church began to make plans to construct this new sanctuary so as to give the congregation a larger place of worship. The new building was to be located at 830 West Main Street and to be constructed of red brick. The site chosen for the new church was significant because it was the site of the first permanent residence in Denison; this residence was established by Dr. Morrison and was a one-room log cabin. Construction quickly began on a beautiful brick structure with stained glass windows that would serve as a beacon on Main Street in the still young "Gate City" known as Denison. Sadly, Mr. Waples died on October 4, 1898, and was not able to witness the completion of the church, yet he did live long enough to see the foundation of the new structure completed.

As Mr. Waples lay in his death bed, he called his children to him, and said, "I will shortly lay down the thread of life and if you children do not take up where I left off and finish this building and support of this church, Southern Methodism will get a setback in Denison that will take years to overcome." It was at this time that he gave the first monetary gift towards the new church structure in the amount of $3,000. His children and grandchildren remained steadfast in their support of the church and construction was completed in April of 1899. The new building was heralded as the finest church in North Texas with its tall spires and stained glass windows. The purity and richness of the colors of the stained glass within the church was due to the art of European glass cutters. The light fixtures were made of heavy brass hoops with seven individual brass shades attached.

ca 1899

At this time, a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, Bishop Key, visited the congregation and told them, "This church is here today because of the faith and effort of Mr. and Mrs. Waples and I want to see it named Waples Memorial Methodist Church, South." And from then on the Methodist Episcopal Church South of Denison was no more and was replaced with Waples Memorial Methodist Church, South.

The Denison Daily Herald
Monday, September 10, 1906
pg.5

Work was begun this morning on a stretch of concrete sidewalk on the Main street side of Waples Memorial Methodist Church. When completed this will add largely to the appearance of the street, and will prove a valuable addition to the church property.

In 1910, a Sunday School was started in the church and soon thereafter an Epworth League was formed. Within the next several years, the church began to grow and flourish at its new location, and there was no longer room in the main auditorium to house both the Sunday school and the rest of the membership. During this time an addition was made to the main auditorium of the church so as to accommodate the quickly growing Sunday School classes., The debt for the addition was canceled in 1920 under the leadership of the pastor, Charles W. Hearon.

As the church continued to grow, so did its campus of buildings. In 1924 plans for an even larger building were started and a
lot directly east of the church was purchased. The final plans for the new education edifice were finished in April of 1926. In June of 1926 a campaign was begun to help raise the necessary $50,000 for the erection of the new education building.

Construction on the two-story cream-color brick structure with basement on August 26,1927, and was completed in August of 1928. A long-time business partner and in-law to Mr. Waples, Mr. A.F. Platter, was instrumental in the planning and financing of the new addition to the church. During the beginning stages of the construction of the new building, Mr. Platter pledged $12,500 towards the cost of the construction, and in June of 1927, he again gave the church another $12,500 towards the education building.

Photo by Walter P. Lebrecht
ca 1930

When there was approximately an $18,000 debt remaining on the education building two church members, Mr. and Mrs. Kline, left all of their money to the church to pay off the notes and clear the debt on the newly completed building. All they asked in return for their donation was that their portrait be hung in the building so that they would never be forgotten. Their request
was maintained and as of today their portrait still hangs in the church.

Waples began its proud sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop 605 in 1936. This sponsorship continues today with one of the largest Boy Scout Troups in Denison. In 1938 and 1939, the Northern and Southern Episcopal Churches of Denison merged and many of the members from the First Methodist Church joined the Waples Methodist Church as a result of the merger. The merger caused the membership to grow exponentially, and by the end of 1938 the congregation had a membership of 890. Through the years that followed the church continued to grow and serve the community, the church choir donned beautiful robes, and a weekly newsletter and church bulletin were printed and handed out at each Sunday service.

In 1955, a remodeling program was begun at the church and for the first time since the church was constructed, air conditioning became a part of the services. Other improvements were made and it was the hope of the congregation that this massive remodeling program would be sufficient to maintain the church's structural integrity. But as the church congregation continued to grow, the use of the building became more and more limited. Soon, cracks began to show on the structure and the roof began to leak. In 1962, the R.L. Roth engineering firm was called to the church to do an inspection of the sanctuary and educational building. They wrote in response to their inspection, "We have inspected the sanctuary unit and the education unit of your church facilities and in our opinion the sanctuary has reached a state beyond which further investments in repair and maintenance is economically unsound. Therefore, the most practical long-range solution would be to demolish the building
and build a modern structure for present and future needs."

The present church edifice was built in 1965 under the pastorate of Reverend Walter L. Underwood. There was an immense building campaign to help raise money for the new church and record amounts of pledges were received. It was noted that the one million dollar debt on this new building was reduced to just $100,000 within seven years of the erection of the new building. Sadly, the old church edifice was removed from the lot and the present building sits on the site of the red brick building. The present edifice is over-flowing with a bevy of Christian symbols that were incorporated into the construction of the building.

The marble walls and slate floors of the Narthtex reflect ever-lasting life and the eternal character of God. Inside the sanctuary, the marble altar table is etched with symbols of the sacraments of the Lord's Supper, including grapes, wheat, and chalice. The church boats one-of-a-kind liturgical banners which reflect different seasons of the Christian religion. The banners were designed by Jane Lundergan Doak and were hand sewn by women of the church. The lectern contains the emblems of the four gospels of the New Testament : Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The pulpit contains the Greek symbols Chi and Rho which are the first two letters of the word of Christ. The communion rail is supported by twelve carvings that contain the insignias of the twelve disciples, all except for Judas.

The stained glass that can be found throughout the sanctuary and Madden Chapel was created, designed, and fabricated by

the internationally famous artist Gabriel Loire of Chartres, France. The large stained glass window in the sanctuary contains

the cross with descending dove, the Star of David, the crown of thorns, and the symbols of Alpha and Omega. The copper bell tower and spire rise from the center of the sanctuary to a height of 90 feet above the ground. Within the bell tower is the original bell from the first mission church on Skiddy Street.

Photo by Brian Hander
ca1965

The Boy Scout Troop 605 Scout Hut was built adjacent to Waples in 1970 shortly after the new church was completed. This
was a huge leap for the scout troop that had previously met in the church basement of the 1899 structure, and then met inside of a house adjacent to the newly constructed 1965 structure. The hut was built on a lot adjacent to the church and was erected in memory of Mr. Charles H. Harris and family, following the receipt of a gift to the church. The current scout hut was expanded in 2003 thanks tin part to a generous grant from the Clara Blackford Smith and W. Aubrey Smith Charitable Foundation.

Waples has sponsored its own day school since its inception in 1964. The first classes were held in a small house where the present day Scout Hut is located, and the first teachers of the newly formed day school were Mrs. Pauline Sullenberger, mother of the famous pilot Chesley Sullenberger, and Mrs. Karen Hibbit. The purpose of the school was to provide classes for kindergarten and pre-school aged children of all races and backgrounds. This purpose continues today with an energized teaching staff that is willing to carry on the mission of expanding young minds. With the quickly growing and expanding Day School, and an influx of new members into the congregation, it became necessary to once again add on the church. On February 19, 1989, the congregation of Waples announced that it would begin its $560,000 expansion project towards the construction of a 6,000 square foot education facility, memorial garden and remodeling of the south entrance to the church.
The extension of a larger education wing and the addition of the Underwood Memorial Garden were completed in 1990. The new education wing houses the Charles K. Pool Youth Suite and is the campus for the recently formed Rotational Sunday School for all young grade-level children.

Waples Memorial United Methodist Church is the proud sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 605, Cub Scout Troop 605, and a local Girl Scout group. Waples' youth are very active in the community, delivering Meals on Wheels throughout the month of August and attending annual mission trips to various parts of the globe. The church hosts such events as the annual Denison High School Baccalaureate, and the weekly "Mission Cafe" which raises money for local charities as well as church groups. The Waples United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women are very active in the community by sponsoring an annual community-wide pancake breakfast to raise money for local charities. At present the Waples Memorial Methodist Church plant encompasses nearly an entire block in the historic district of Denison. It serves as an important cultural site that is located along the newly designated Arts and Cultural District by the Texas Commission of Arts.

Waples Memorial United Methodist Church is the oldest existing Methodist church in the city of Denison, with its origins dating back to 1875. The first church building was constructed in 1875 and served the community until the new building was constructed on Main Street in 1899. The red brick building on Main Street served the congregation until 1965 when the present building was constructed. New educational facilities and a memorial garden have been added during recent years. The Methodist congregation helped to found Denison's oldest continuing Boy Scout Troop, and created Waples Day School for younger children of the community. The Waples Day School has begun its 45th year of operation and continues to serve the community by providing a strong Christian education for the community's young children. Some of the notable programs of Waples include weekly men's and women's Bible study groups, a monthly free meal for members of the community known as "Food For The Faithful", and annual mission trips to different parts of the globe. It is the mission of the congregation of Waples to gather as a people of God, grow in faith and understanding, and to go out into the world to spread the faith and understanding of God. Throughout the past 134 years, Waples has had a significant impact on not only the city, but on the county and region as well.

ca 2013

[1] Landrum, Graham. Grayson County: An Illustrated History of Grayson County, Texas. Pub. By University Supply and Equipment Company Fort Worth, Texas. 1960. p. 37.

[1] Maguire, Jack. Katy’s Baby: The Story of Denison Texas. Nortex Press, Austin, Texas. 1991. p.9.

[1] Hunt, Donna. “Church Origins Prove Fascinating”. The Herald Democrat. November 9, 2008. A6.

[1] Wellge, Henry. “Denison, Texas Bird’s Eye View,” Milwaukee: Published by Norris, Wellge, and Co. 1886.

[1] The Denison Daily News, January 13, 1873.

[1] The Denison Daily News, March 14, 1873.

[1] The Denison Daily News, March 28, 1875.

[1] “Waples: Celebrating 115 Years in Denison”, The Denison Herald. May 6, 1990.

[1] “Waples Memorial United Methodist Church History,” Unpublished. Circa 1967. Available in Waples Church Archives.

[1] “Southern Methodism Began Here in 1875”, The Denison Herald. July 4, 1976.