The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-07
OLDiTR|N|TY IS
T.0.B.E TORN. Down D: |.
Methodist Church on
Franklin Street Soon to
be Replaced.

be: Replaced.
An important and interesting real 4es-
tate deal, one which will mean the GU s.
appearance OF an old landmark OF early
Richmond and athe construction on the
same site Of a large, modern business
house, to be used by q big 8jobblng 1lrnl, \
was concluded yesterday 81
Mr.. u. A. Catlin. real estate dealer,
in, the city, has sold to Mr.. J. 7. Muck
contractor, the historic building and site
at the corner Of Franklin Street and EN-, t I
change Alley; which was for years To
site OF tho pioneer Methodist Church OF
tho city,. Negotia tions have also been
completed which will result in the pulling
down of the old church and immediate
erection on the site of Il large. modern
four story business house, which will be
occupied by the wholesale dry goods 4
firm, of Wilkinson, Williams and Reed
The specifications for. the pr respective
structure call for he use OF stock tllc'<'
and in arrangcn1e nj the building VIII pc
adapted to use as a storehouse and ware
rooms. .s,s 4 3tl:s tsr ~ .Itsi s.3
The old building to be RACED to make
way for business is one Of the notable
structures of old Richmond. It Is the
old Trinity Church. tho former house Of
worship Of the Methodist CONGREGATION
now worshippng satTwentetli and Broad
Streets. When Methodism was first es-
tabished In this,Scity, about the year
1900, the minister preached at the State
Capitol on Sunday afternoons, Rev,
Thomas I4yel being the first minister ever
regularly assigned to this place. The
first church was built at Nineteenth and
Franklin Streets and while not known
by name, was the.hrst Trinity. This was
tho first Methodist church erected IN
Richmond.
The Present Building.
1t was in 1s2S that the second church.
I known us the new Trinity was con-
! structod and opened for worship. This
! church stood on the site Of the property
( lust sold, but 1t was not the present build
ing In 1896 the church was burned, and
! the congregation had to seek quarters
elsewhere. The congregation soon rallied,
and raised a new house OF worship on the
| site OF the one burned. 1t was this
/ staunch and, at that time, tatelysstric-
| ture that has Just been sold. and is to be
! replaced by business house. Many of
1 the most famous methodist ministers Of
4 the century weres In turn assigned to the
| old Trinity pulpit and preached there
| with great power. Among the best known
| of the later pastors there were Rev.
l G.. w. Motley, Rev. James A.. Duncan,
l d. d., and Rev. I4eonidas Rosser y. d.
lit was about 1860 that the Methodists
built the present TRINITY Church at 'Twen-
| 10th and Broad Streets. and abandoned
| the old church. Meanwhile Broad Street
Methodist Church and Centenary Church
had been constructed and had grown.
x Alters its REIMBURSEMENT by the Metho-
dlsts as a house of worship the Old builds
! ing was devoted to various PURPOSES,
i being for a number of years used MS Q
i place for@meetings or various kinds md
i as Il variety theatre. It's location, adj
i Joining the Exchange Hotel, then the
| citys greatest hostclry, made II ALVEY
place, and it continued to serve the pllr-
| pose of n place Of amusement for years.
l a AS the city began to grow westward,
and that sect on or thc city began %
wane, the old structure was rented 10
colored people. whoButlized 1t as a meet
4 ing place for Odd-FelloW lodges and for
i various other meetings. For some years
now the substantial old brick structure
| has been untenanted, III y monument 70
tho better days OF that locality, with
shattered windows and q big paddock on
tho ancient doors, tho building is a land
mark of which few OF the younger gem
Grafton know the history or care to know
Section Is Improving.
After lying long in a state Of deca-
dence, this lower section of the city once
the scene of its8business life, and near
Ito the popular residential section IS
again growing into prominence y IS
being sought as aEsite Tor me ely jon
bling interests and Its wholesale trade IN
various lines ono after another of the
old relics is disappearing. andljneW, nod
ern structures are supersedng them.
Some years ago the old Exchange Hotel,
the most famous hostelry IN the State,
] was removed and superseded 4bS q sub
stantial brick business house, since e, %
cupicd by the wholesale trrnFof Al ~, Golirll,
Sons and Company. & The 3loeat ion Of "a 9
passenger depot of the chesapeake Z, ana 7,
Ohio and the senhoard Air Line Rail
ways aud the freight depots or the i, latter
! not far away, II have a nhaneed the value
I OF this low-yinE section roy lhe neas !,
/ up long and steepi grades is avoided ana
: an eligible site Is secured fol. business,
TIL" wholesale hat house Of I'D. Stokes
and Company, the.Cottrell saddlely con-
pany and the Rountree Trunk ana ba y
y nnSr arc ,oo, ga 5,,ot lfa n aWay. t15s