Archives West Finding Aid
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Pullman Community Congregational Church Records, 1886-1974
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Community Congregational Church (Pullman, Wash.)
- Title
- Pullman Community Congregational Church Records
- Dates
- 1886-1974 (inclusive)18861974
- Quantity
- 6 Linear feet of shelf space, (36 Volumes + 7 Boxes)
- Collection Number
- Cage 314 (collection)
- Summary
- The Pullman Community Congregational Church records consist of correspondence, membership lists, organizational documents, minutes, financial records, printed materials, reports, records of the acts of the church, records of auxiliary women and young peoples societies, and photographs of church buildings.
- Repository
-
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open and available for research use.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Pullman Community Congregational Church was originally incorporated in 1886 as the First Congregational Church of Pullman. It was the first church formally organized in Pullman, although a loosely-organized Methodist congregation preceded it by four years. The Congregationalists located their church building at the corner of High and Paradise Streets on Pullman's Pioneer Hill, rebuilding at the same location when their structure burned in the fire which destroyed much of the town in 1890. The church entered into a federation with a Pullman Baptist congregation in 1913, after which a new building was constructed on the outskirts of the Washington State University campus. The federation, however, tended to be heavily dominated by the Congregationalist element; consequently the Baptist congregation lost the recognition of the Baptist conventions. This resulted in the creation of a new and separate Baptist congregation and virtual nullification of the federation. Recognizing that the Federated Church was in reality but another manifestation of the First Congregational Church, the pastor and officers reincorporated the organization as the Community Congregational Church in 1937. The Community Congregational Church continued to use the Federated Church buildings and facilities after 1937. In 1954, the old Federated Church building was converted to meeting rooms and a new church building was constructed in an adjacent location. In 1961, the church entered into the United Church of Christ, a national denomination encompassing Congregational and Reformed churches. In 1990, the church drafted a constitution and in 1999 the church underwent renovation. As early as 1954, the church's Women's Fellowship opened The Thrift Shop, which is still in business as of 2017. It is Pullman's oldest second hand clothing store.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Community Congregational Church records consist of thirty-six volumes in which have been entered membership rolls, minutes of meetings, financial records, and the acts of the church; and approximately 1280 items of correspondence, membership lists, financial records, minutes, resolutions, printed materials and photographs. Although the earliest records date from 1886, these appear to have been transcribed in 1891, possibly because of the loss of the earlier records in a fire which destroyed the church edifice in 1890. The earlier records--those in bound form--are principally concerned with recording formal acts of the church, such as minutes of meetings and lists of officers and members. Later records include some correspondence, memoranda and fuller documentation of activities of the church and of the persons who served as pastors and officers. Significant correspondents, other than pastors, include Edward F. Gaines, Carl Milton Brewster and Otho West.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions may apply.
Preferred Citation
[Item description]
Pullman Community Congregational Church Records, 1886-1974 (Cage 314)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The arrangement of the records is based on the different practices of record keeping used by the church. These practices result in the records being ordered in two series, one series of record books and a second series of other. Generally, the church's early records are found in the bound volumes, while foldered items record later events. A considerable chronological overlap exists, nevertheless. Within each series are found several subseries, the most important of which consists of membership records, minutes, correspondence, financial records and church publications. Material within the various subseries is generally arranged in a chronological sequence.
Acquisition Information
The records of the Community Congregational Church of Pullman were donated to the Washington State University Library in April and May 1975 through the office of the church historian, Mr. Leonard Young. Additional records were received in Sept. 1975.
Related Materials
Pullman Community Congregational Church Records, 1891-1978 (Cage 448)
Blackburn Collection of Pullman Community Congregational Church Records, 1961-1977 (Cage 480)
Preliminary Guide to the Pullman Community Congregational Church Records, 1914-2013 (MSSM.038)
West, Otho. I Remember and the Congregationalists. Pullman, Wash.: Community Congregational Church, 1970
Community Congregational United Church of Christ. Centennial History, 1886-1986 : Community Congregational United Church of Christ, Pullman, Washington. [Community Congregational United Church]; 1986.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Record BooksReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
SubSeries 1.1: General Records |
||
Volume | ||
1 | Pastors |
1886-1918 |
1 | Deacons |
1886-1908 |
1 | Finance Board |
1901-1904 |
1 | Trustees |
1886-1907 |
1 | Clerks |
1886-1903 |
1 | Treasurers |
1886-1903 |
1 | Sunday School
Superintendents |
1886-1903 |
1 | Organists |
1891-1898 |
1 | Choir Leaders |
1891 |
1 | Ushers |
1892-1904 |
1 | Infant Baptisms |
1892-1903 |
1 | Members received |
1886-1903 |
1 | Members removed |
1887-1902 |
1 | Marriages |
1891-1906 |
1 | Charities and expenses |
1891-1894 |
1 | Annual Church Statistics |
1891-1897 |
1 | Annual Sunday School
Statistics |
1891-1903 |
1 | Minutes |
1886; 1891-1903 |
1 | Principals of
Organization. |
|
2 | Pastors |
1886-1971 |
2 | Deacons |
1910-1919 |
2 | Deaconesses |
1910-1919 |
2 | Trustees |
1910-1919 |
2 | Finance Board |
1902-1905 |
2 | Clerks |
1903-1917 |
2 | Treasurers |
1903-1913 |
2 | Sunday School
Superintendents |
1895-1913 |
2 | Organists |
1897-1913 |
2 | Church Board |
1903-1913 |
2 | Ushers |
1903-1914 |
2 | Delegates |
1905-1911 |
2 | Baptisms |
1903-1915 |
2 | Members received |
1886-1928 |
2 | Marriages |
1905 |
SubSeries 1.2: Minutes |
||
Volume | ||
3 | General meeting |
1903-1926 |
4 | General meeting and
committees |
1917-1921, circa 1950 |
5 | General meeting |
1922-1926 |
6 | Minutes, documents and "history",
relative to Federation |
1913-1914 |
7 | Executive Board, Federated
Church |
1913-1917 |
8 | Executive Board, Federated
Church |
1923-1933 |
9 | Board of Trustees |
1936-1941 |
10 | Executive Board |
1941-1952 |
11 | Executive Board |
1945-1952 |
12 | Executive Board |
1953-1955 |
13 | Board of Trustees |
Oct 1955-Sept 1956 |
14 | Board of Trustees |
Oct 1956-Sept 1957 |
14b | Board of Trustees |
Oct 1957 – Sept 1958 |
14c | Board of Trustees |
Oct 1958 – Sept 1959 |
14d | Board of Trustees |
Oct 1959 – Oct 1960 |
SubSeries 1.3: Financial
Records |
||
Volume | ||
15 | Pledges and payments |
1899-1904 |
16 | Pledges and receipts |
1907-1908 |
17 | Pledges and receipts |
1909 |
18 | Treasurer's accounts |
1903-1912 |
19 | Pledges and receipts |
1944-1948 |
20 | Receipts and expenses |
1947-1954 |
21 | Reciepts and expenses |
1954-1961 |
22 | Receipts and expenses |
1959-1964 |
SubSeries 1.4: Sunday School |
||
Volume | ||
23 | Attendence and financial
records |
1939-1940 |
SubSeries 1.5: Women's Society |
||
Volume | ||
24 | Minutes |
1902-1913 |
25 | Minutes |
1917-1923 |
26 | Minutes |
1923-1931 |
27 | Minutes |
1936-1942 |
28 | Treasurer's records |
1919-1924 |
SubSeries 1.6: Young People's
Society |
||
Volume | ||
29 | Membership, minutes |
1900-1907, 1915 |
30 | Minutes |
1913-1914 |
31 | Pilgrim Club, membership |
1958 |
31b | Pilgrim Club, minutes |
1959-1970 |
SubSeries 1.7: Scrapbook |
||
Volume | ||
32 | Summer camp at Lake Coeur
d'Alene |
circa 1955 |
Series 2: RecordsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
SubSeries 2.1: Articles of
incorporation |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Articles of incorporation, by-laws,
articles of federation and other constitutional
documents 15 items
|
1886-1970 |
SubSeries 2.2: Reports |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 2 | Reports to the Congregational Year
Book 15 items
|
1918-1963 |
1 | 3 | Annual report to
congregation 25 items
|
1949-1974 |
SubSeries 2.3: Correspondence |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 4 | 1894-1919 |
|
2 | 5 | 1920-1936 |
|
2 | 6 | 1937-1948 |
|
2 | 7 | 1949-1961 |
|
2 | 8 | 1962-1963 |
|
2 | 9 | 1964-1973 |
|
SubSeries 2.4: Resolutions, minutes,
ballots, committee reports |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 10 | 1921-1952 20 items
|
|
3 | 11 | 1952-1954 30 items
|
|
3 | 12 | 1960-1962 30 items
|
|
3 | 13 | 1962-1973 30 items
|
|
3 | 14 | undated 20 items
|
|
SubSeries 2.5: Membership
Lists |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 15 | Lists and rosters 50 items
|
1920-circa 1970 |
3 | 16 | Applications for memberships,
transfers 65 items
|
1949-1965 |
SubSeries 2.6: Financial
Records |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 17 | 1907-1939 50 items
|
|
4 | 18 | 1940-1949 50 items
|
|
4 | 19 | 1950 10 items
|
|
4 | 20-28 | 1951-1959 80 items
|
|
5 | 29-42 | 1960-1973 140 items
|
|
5 | 43 | undated 10 items
|
|
SubSeries 2.7: Printed Materials and
Photographs |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
6 | 44 | Weekly service bulletins 50 items
|
1891-1964 |
Newsletters |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
6 | 45 |
Congregational Way
|
1944-1945 |
6 | 45 |
Communicator
|
1956-1969 |
Box | Folder | ||
6 | 46 | Offering envelopes 20 items
|
1891-1894 |
6 | 47 | Publicity materials 10 items
|
circa 1940-1960 |
7 | 48 | Brochures relative to union with
United Church of Christ 50 items
|
1961 |
7 | 49 | Photographs, descriptive
materials 15 items
|
circa 1950-1970. |
SubSeries 2.8: Additional
Records |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
7 | 50 | Correspondence, minutes and
resolutions, financial records 125 items
|
1961-1965 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Church records and registers -- Washington (State) -- Pullman
- Congregational churches -- Washington (State) -- Pullman -- Records and correspondence
Corporate Names
- Community Congregational Church (Pullman, Wash.) -- Records and correspondence
- Community Congregational United Church of Christ (Pullman, Wash.) -- Records and correspondence
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- Community Congregational United Church of Christ (Pullman, Wash.) (creator)