The First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, Indiana is a historic

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

congregation and

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

located at

Aurora An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...

Dearborn County, Indiana Dearborn County is one of 92 counties of the U.S. state of Indiana located on the Ohio border near the southeast corner of the state. It was formed in 1803 from a portion of Hamilton County, Ohio. In 2020, the population was 50,679. The county ...

. The original building completed in 1855 is still used, and is believed to have been designed by architect John R. Hamilton. It is a two-story, rectangular,

Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...

style red brick building painted white. It measure approximately 45 feet wide by 75 feet deep and rests on a rough cut

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

foundation. It features a steeply tower consisting of a base, belfry, clock, and steeple. ''Note:'' This includes and Accompanying photographs. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1994. It is located in the

Downtown Aurora Historic District Downtown Aurora Historic District is a national historic district located at Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana. The district encompasses 272 contributing buildings, 1 contributing site, and 3 contributing structures in the central business dist ...

. According to the church's website "a committee of the Presbytery of Madison organized the 'First Presbyterian Church of

Aurora, Indiana Aurora is a city in Center Township, Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,750 at the 2010 census. Geography Aurora is located at (39.058551, -84.906351). According to the 2010 census, Aurora has a total area of , of wh ...

' in 1844" with members of the Hancock, Gaff, Cannon, Kennedy, Lotham, McConnell, and Witherow families and Rev. W.A. Smith as the first installed pastor. The church's website states that land was purchased in 1848 and the first phase of construction was completed by 1850 "when the congregation began to meet in what is now the basement of the church". Second phase construction was completed in 1855. This included the "

" sanctuary and bell-tower and "a four-faced" public clock which was "the official time-piece of the City of Aurora until 1981 when it was formally donated to the Congregation by the city council". The church is said to have had the first

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...

Dearborn County Dearborn County is one of 92 counties of the U.S. state of Indiana located on the Ohio border near the southeast corner of the state. It was formed in 1803 from a portion of Hamilton County, Ohio. In 2020, the population was 50,679. The county ...

, installed in the church in 1860 after "a boat transporting the instrument was wrecked at Aurora and the congregation purchased it as 'salvage'." "The pipes were made of wood, and the bellows were pumped by hand." Brief History
First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, Indiana website The congregation is currently in a "yoked" relationship with Hopewell Presbyterian Church of

Dillsboro, Indiana Dillsboro is a town in Clay Township, Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. As of 2020, the population is 1,360. History Dillsboro was laid out in 1830. It was named for James Dill, a general in the War of 1812 and local resident. The Dillsbo ...

, meaning that the pastor of First Presbyterian also serves as the pastor of Hopewell and that certain administrative and mission functions of both congregations work in close harmony with one another.

References

External links

*
First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, Indiana website
Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Churches completed in 1855 19th-century Presbyterian church buildings in the United States Presbyterian churches in Indiana Presbyterian Church (USA) churches Greek Revival church buildings in Indiana Churches in Dearborn County, Indiana National Register of Historic Places in Dearborn County, Indiana Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Indiana {{Indiana-church-stub