St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church
historic place
St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, a historic place in Houston, Harris County, began in the early 20th century. In December 1905, Houston's Methodist community met. The congregation officially organized on January 14, 1906, with 153 charter members. Bishop Joseph Key suggested the name St. Paul's. The first sanctuary, designed by R.D. Steele, was consecrated in January 1909 at Milam and McGowen streets. It featured a Grecian design with a Byzantine-style dome. In the late 1920s, the church sought larger facilities. Jesse H. Jones, Walter Fondren, and J.M. West, Sr. each contributed $150,000. Architect Alfred C. Finn designed a new, Neo-Gothic building at Main and Binz streets, completed in 1930. This new structure incorporated stained glass and bells from the earlier sanctuary. A historical marker for this site was erected in 2006. St. Paul's United Methodist Church continues as a significant Houston institution.