Downtown Presbyterian Church

Methodist and Baptist churches were the most popular in nineteenth century Nashville, but the Presbyterians were among the first to arrive in the area. You are now standing in front of Downtown Presbyterian Church, part of the Presbyterian USA denomination. Today’s Downtown Presbyterian was originally First Presbyterian Church. Their first sanctuary opened at this location in 1816. After two fires, the third (and current) building opened in 1851, designed by the famed architect William Strickland.

Downtown Presbyterian has been at the center of many of the city’s major political events and people. Notably, two U.S. presidents were affiliated with this church—Andrew Jackson and James Polk. In fact, this church hosted a ceremony for the Tennessee state government when they presented a sword to Andrew Jackson for his heroism in the Battle of New Orleans. Fifteen years later, the church hosted the Inauguration of James K. Polk as Tennessee governor. During the Civil War, the Union army arrived in Nashville in 1862 and converted Downtown Presbyterian into a hospital. A recent renovation of the building actually uncovered ink bottles from the Civil War years—likely used by physicians for written prescriptions and wounded soldiers writing letters to their families. During the twentieth century the church served the community and country at large. When massive floods destroyed parts of the city in 1927 and 1937, Downtown Presbyterian was a refuge for those whose homes were destroyed. During WWII, thousands of soldiers slept in the church while training for the Normandy Landing. Many of these soldiers would use skills gained here as part of the D-Day invasion that landed on the beaches of France. 

Despite the church’s long relationship with the local community, a majority of the congregation voted to move to the segregated suburb of Oak Hill in 1955 in part as a reaction to integration after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling a year earlier. Fortunately, the building was saved with the support of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and local efforts. The congregation ultimately sold the building to members who wanted to stay, and the name was changed to the Downtown Presbyterian Church. The church continues to minister to the downtown area through a variety of programs and holds regular services.

The building is unique because it features the Egyptian Revival Style, which celebrates the motif and imagery of the Ancient Egyptians. This style was inspired by Napoleon’s conquest of Egypt and the resulting proliferation of Egyptian artifacts in Western publications. The exterior design elements include Egyptian style lotus columns and a winged sun disk over the front door. Inside the sanctuary visitors will find colorful columns, stained glass windows, and perspective renderings of an Egyptian temple on the walls. The Egyptian god Amun-ra can even be seen carved above the organ pipes. 

Facing Downtown Presbyterian, turn RIGHT and continue walking west along Church Street. Your next stop is less than a block away. You will see McKendree United Methodist Church on your left.