Lakin’s Presbyterian congregation was officially organized with 16 charter members on May 6, 1887, at the home of D.C. Hawthorne. The Rev. David Kingery, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Garden City, served as moderator, and according to the Lakin Pioneer Democrat, $300 had already been donated to build a Presbyterian church at Lakin. The financial backing came from Senator F.J. Pringle, J.M. Jones and Dr. J.H. Rodgers, all of Springfield, Ohio. “Each of the gentlemen have large landed interests near here and are ready to work for the upbuilding of Lakin, and to secure the county seat for this place.”
In April of 1888, fundraising efforts began in earnest when Hawthorne and Jones began circulating a subscription paper, and on June 2, the Advocate announced that Jones had selected a lot for the new church. The church was to be constructed of brick and stone for around $3,000. A tin box filled with relics of value, church records and other important papers was placed in the cornerstone which was laid in front of a large congregation on July 22, and the following week, the Advocate reported that the material was “mostly on the ground, the foundation is done and the workmen are erecting the building according to plans and specifications adopted.”
Notices began running in the paper asking subscribers of the church fund to pay their first and second installments. “Please pay promptly that work may go forward rapidly.” The Sept. 8, 1888 Advocate printed a letter from Jones who was back in Ohio at that time. “I hope, as soon as possible, to be with my friends in building the church at Lakin,” and that was the last mention of the building that could be found in the local papers. Where the church was being erected and what happened with the project is not known.
The Presbyterians used the 1886 school for services, taking turns with Methodists and other denominations until 1895. In February of 1895, word broke that the Presbyterians were considering purchasing an abandoned church building near Kinsley and having it moved to Lakin. The Lakin Index voiced its support of the Presbyterians’ project, “We sincerely hope they will consummate the deal, as we are badly in need of a church building. It is an improvement which should receive the hearty support of every citizen of Lakin.”
The Kinsley church was purchased and torn down, and the lumber was transported to Lakin where a force of men went to work immediately rebuilding the church at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Western Street on land donated by L.I. Purcell. In late May, the Advocate reported that the tin-box and its contents which had been placed in the cornerstone of the Presbyterian church in 1888 were transferred to the cornerstone of the new church. By mid-June, the church was under roof, and later that month, many strong and willing arms hoisted a large bell to its position in the church’s belfry.
Dr. Browning of Garden City delivered a stirring sermon at the first services in the church on Thursday, July 11, 1895. This was the first segment of a four-day grand dedication service which included sermons by C.E. Williams, pastor of the local Methodist congregation, and ministers from Wichita and Hutchinson. On Sunday, July 14, the church building was crowded to full capacity with many friends from Hartland and Deerfield in attendance. Dr. S.B. Fleming of Wichita surprised the crowd when he announced that $450 was to be raised before the dedication exercises could be completed. In less than 30 minutes, $460 had been given either in cash or by promise.“The Presbyterian folks are to be congratulated on their success in erecting so beautiful a church free of debt. It is the finest church building in this part of the state, and is a credit to the Presbyterians and an ornament to the city,” proclaimed the Index.
When the church was first opened, local Methodists were invited to use the facility. While a number of them accepted the invite, others opted to continue using the school house. Eventually, the church was used by all denominations for services, funerals, school and other community affairs. Often there was ‘standing room only’ for the evening services and special occasions in the church. When the Presbyterian primary department decided to raise funds for a Sunday School room of their own, practically everyone in town, regardless of creed, contributed. A 12×26 building was erected for this purpose and opened in March of 1904.
The church’s manse sat to the east of the church and was built with a great deal of donated labor from members of the congregation as well as the Rev. F.F. Thomas family. “Rev. Thomas is as happy as a little boy with a new wagon, and well he may be, for after so long a time of working and waiting he has realized his long-cherished dreams of a manse. The family took possession of the new home this week,” revealed the Aug. 6, 1908 Advocate. The manse opened to the public the following month.
The old wooden church served the congregation until 1950 when a new $65,000 church was dedicated free of debt on Sept. 24, 1950. Morning services started in the old church which had been moved to the back of the lot, and following weekly announcements and instructions, a prayer was given by pastor W.E. Dysart. “Onward Christian Soldiers” was sung as the congregation marched from the old to the new church where the remainder of the dedication services were held. The 1895 building was sold to the Community Church at Holcomb and moved there.
In July of 1961, a contract was awarded to Lee and Woolman Construction Company of Garden City to construct a new educational wing on the 1950 building. The church observed its diamond anniversary on Feb. 4, 1962, by dedicating the church’s new facilities which included six classrooms, expanded kitchen facilities, a women’s parlor, storage facilities, two rest rooms and the remodeled chancel which expanded the choir and added a study and choir room. The old manse was purchased by Maxine Campbell and moved in 1967 to 115 N. Campbell Street where it is still used as a residence, and the brick home located at 406 W. Washington was purchased the following year to serve as manse. In 1988, after a severe thunderstorm had caused considerable damage, the flat roof on the north wing of the church was remodeled into a pitch roof, and in 2022, a new shake metal roof was installed by Lianro Construction.
SOURCES: Special thanks to Donna and Martin Neff; archives of the Finney County Democrat, Lakin Pioneer Democrat, Index, Advocate, Lakin Pioneer and Lakin Independent; information provided by the late Olivia Tate Ramsey for History of Kearny County, Vol. 1, and Museum archives.