Wesley United Methodist Church, Austin, Texas
historical marker
Wesley United Methodist Church, in Austin, Travis County, Texas, was founded on March 4, 1865, by Austin-area freedmen, at the end of the Civil War. Reverend Joseph Welch presided over its establishment, with Reverend Isaac Wright serving as the first pastor. The first church building was erected in 1867. A new edifice, known as "Old Wesley on the Hill," followed in 1882. In 1929, the church relocated to its current San Bernard Street site, a move partly influenced by Austin's 1928 segregationist city plan. The current sanctuary was built that same year. Wesley United Methodist Church is recognized as a leading Black church in Texas. It has contributed to community and education, hosting classes for Samuel Huston College and helping establish the Austin Area Urban League in 1977. The Texas Historical Commission erected a historical marker here in 1982. It is also United Methodist Church Registered Historic Site No. 126 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This site is historically important for its role in the post-Civil War freedmen community and its contributions to education and civil rights in Austin.