2500 UNIVERSITY AVE

Our church’s original name was “University Place Church of Christ” – in the earlier days of the denomination, “Church of Christ” and “Christian Church” were somewhat interchangeable terms (now they have split off into two distinct streams with a common history). The name “First Christian” was chosen in the 1970s, when the original downtown church “Central” Christian/Church of Christ sold their building and merged with the congregation at this location. So any old references will use the name “University” church rather than “First” – both terms refer to the congregation at this address.

Not long after the founding of Drake University in 1881, they started platting the neighborhood and selling lots for homes and businesses. Presumably some of the earliest residents were associated with the University. Drake began as a church school, affiliated with our denomination, known as the “Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)” – at some point the University decided to become independent of any church association.

But in the 1880’s, with no public transportation from the residential areas of the time (the “Sherman Hill” area was probably the outer boundary) to the University Place neighborhood, the need for a church of this denomination in this neighborhood became evident, and this congregation was founded in 1888.

The original church building was constructed on the SW corner of 25th & University in 1889, and served as the church as well as the chapel for the university. In 1909, the large “auditorium” (which still stands) was constructed immediately to the south of the “chapel.”

In the prosperous 1920’s when this congregation was large and the ideal was to have a structure to better accommodate a variety of activities, not just Sunday services, etc.; and the old chapel was torn down, and an up-to-date office/education building was constructed the corner site.