1819 In the fall of 1819, the Presbyterians of Charlottesville and neighboring districts joined together under the guidance of the Rev. William Armstrong, a missionary from Pennsylvania, to form the South Plains Presbyterian Church. The congregation and the session met alternately at Keswick, Proffit and Charlottesville. For the first five years the scattered congregation lacked regular ministerial services.

1824 The Rev. Francis Bowman, a native of Vermont and a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, became the first permanent pastor.

1827-29 In the early 1820's, no denomination had a church building in Charlottesville. Worship services were held in private homes, and at times in the Albemarle County Court House. In 1827, the South Plains Church acquired a lot at the southeast corner of Market and Second Streets. The First Presbyterian Meeting House was built on this lot at a cost of $2,080, and was occupied in 1829.

1839 The tri-sectional church became strong enough to be divided into its component localities, thereby creating a separate congregation of 58 members known as the Charlottesville Presbyterian Church.

1856 found an expanding congregation constructing on the same lot a building of Gothic design, which served as a house of worship until 1898.

1898 A new church was constructed on the southwest corner of Market and Second Streets at a cost of $30,000. The new building was dedicated in 1898.

1930 A private home on the corner of Market and First Streets was purchased and used for the next twenty-five years as an educational building.

1939 Eighty members of the church associated themselves as charter members in establishing Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville.

1955 The site of our present building was acquired in 1951, and construction began in 1955. This year also brought a change of name from Charlottesville Presbyterian Church to First Presbyterian Church. The present building was dedicated on October 26, 1956.

1962 First Presbyterian and Westminster jointly sponsored the foundation of Meadows Presbyterian Church. Thirty-six of our members helped to form the nucleus of the new congregation.

1986-87 The construction of a 4,000 square foot addition to the educational wing began in July 1986 and was dedicated on October 11, 1987.

1995 A new organ was installed. The Casavant Freres Organ was dedicated on Palm Sunday, 1995.

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