First Presbyterian Church of Tuscumbia was started by the frontier missionary and church planter Rev. Gideon Blackburn, who traveled the Tennessee River Valley, according to legend, "carrying a Bible in one hand and a musket in the other." He organized a congregation of 13 Scots-Irish settlers and installed its first pastor, Dr. Alexander A. Campbell, in 1824. Since then, the church has been blessed with a long line of twenty-seven faithful pastors spanning two centuries. The building itself was erected in 1827 and stands today as the oldest sanctuary in continuous use in the state of Alabama.
While we proudly boast of what God has done throughout our distinguished history, there is just as much reason to be interested in our future. For the church is a vibrant, thriving congregation full of young families, children, and other communities with whom one can travel in one’s pilgrimage on earth.
If you are interested in learning more about our 200+ years of history, follow this link to see a historical timeline of pastors and notable events in the life of the church.
The church celebrated its bicentennial in 2024