About Our History

The First Presbyterian Church of Stuttgart, Arkansas was organized on May 11th, 1924, by Rev.  R. E. Fry, D. D. of the First Presbyterian Church, Pine Bluff, Arkansas assisted by Mr. V. O. Alexander, Elder, Acting Clerk.

There were twenty-seven charter members. They were as follows: Mrs. P. B. Adams, Mr., and Mrs. Charles Brokaw, Helen Brokaw, Abram Brokaw, Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Crump and Son, Robert, Mr. and Mrs. J. Y. Cunningham and son, Sam, Katie Laverne Cummingham, Mrs. H. C. Hartjie, Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. King, Miss Bernice king, Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Larkin, Mrs. J. E. Ray, Mrs. M. E. Showalter, Mr. and Mrs. Homer Steell, Mr. and Mrs. F. P. Torry, Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Whitehouse, and Miss Harriett Whitehouse.

The First Elders were: Mr. W. F. Crump and Fred C. King. The deacons were Mr. H. F. Larkin and Mr. J. Y. Cunningham. The following were elected trustees of the church: Dr. P. B. Adams, J. Y. Cunningham, Chas. H. Brokaw, E. H. Whitehouse, and F. B. Torry.

The trustees were authorized to purchase two and one–half lots on the northeast corner of Maple and Seventh Streets. A tent was erected on this lot.

During the winter months of 1924, Porter Hall was used for worship. For a while during 1925 the A. O. U. W. Hall and the Episcopalian Church were used for worship. The present building was completed and was consecrated by Dr. William Moore Scott, on December 27th, 1925.

A Sunday school was organized on June 1st, 1924, with Mr. J. Y. Cunningham, Superintendent, and Mrs. J. E. Ray, Secretary-Treasurer.

The Woman’s Auxiliary was organized in June 1924 by a lady from Helena, Arkansas, in the home of Mrs. I. J. Showalter, with Mrs. P. B. Adams, President, and Mrs. Frank Torry, secretary and treasurer.

Mr. and Mrs. H.  F. Larkin organized young people’s work with Mrs. W. P. Crump assisting.

The Men – Of – The – Church was organized in 1933, with Mr. Prentiss Rice as president. Monthly meetings are held, and interesting programs are presented.

The following pastors served the church from 1925 – 1940:  Rev. Walter L. Brown, Jr. From February 1925 until September 1927; Dr. J. Marion Stafford, From April 1928 until April 1933; Rev. John E. Parse, from September 1933 until July 1937; and Rev. J. P. Snipes, D. D., from December 1, 1937, until March 10, 1940.

In 1944 a beautiful painting, a copy of Hofmann’s “Christ in Gethsemane” painted by A.P. Finken, was presented to the church by the Auxiliary. The painting is still in the church to this day.

In 1948 a new annex was added to the church, 150’ of sidewalks were poured, leveling of the church grounds was completed, and landscaping was performed.

September 11th, 1966, at 3:30 P.M. the church dedicated its new Sanctuary. The cost of construction was $37,500.

In 1969 the church introduced the guitar into its worship service.

 In 1974, Mr. and Mrs. Yohe obtained the bell from the Cabot Presbyterian Church which was in the process of disbanding. Mr. Yohe and Rev. Richard Young brought the 900-pound bell from Cabot, AR to the Yohe farm in a Pickup truck. It stayed there in a granary until 1976. On June 6, 1976, the congregation voted to finance the construction with special funds using no regular church funds. The first design accepted by Ken Shireman proved to be too costly. In 1980 he was asked to redesign the tower so it could be constructed for $5,500 in the bell tower fund. On March 30, 1980, the congregation granted Stuttgart Machine Works the bid for the construction of the tower and instructed the bell tower committee to handle the project until completed. In 1981 the church gathered outside to dedicate the completed bell tower.

In April 1983 the church allocated funds and space to serve as a rice distribution center for the Arkansas Rice Depot. The purpose of this project is to purchase and make available, free of charge, brown rice to needy people in the community and surrounding area. Over 1,000 pounds of rice were distributed in three months.

In 1984 the Inter-Church Community Ministry Food Bank opened inside the Presbyterian Church. In the first year, more than 90 families were provided with emergency help. The food bank is still in operation to this day.

The First Presbyterian Church of Stuttgart held its final service, “A final service of thanksgiving and praise celebrating the mission and ministry of the First Presbyterian Church” on January 12th, 2020.

The First Presbyterian Church was purchased by us on June 12th, 2024. We hosted our first visitors on January 19th, 2025. Today the church functions as the Church House Lodge, offering guided duck hunts in historic Stuttgart, AR, world-class lodging, and a state-of-the-art gym available to all our guests. The Food Bank is still in operation in the church’s annex serving the less fortunate Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M.

We hope you become part of our history, as time marches on.