By Martha Glauthier - Past President/Curator
San Dimas Historical Society
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In 1954, Mrs. Harry Walker, San Dimas’ historian, prevailed upon Mrs. W. T. Way to talk about the beginnings of the Methodist Church. At that time, Mrs. Way, who was 87, and her brother J. W. Crane of Modesto, were the only living charter members of the church. Her daughter, Pearl Way, wrote down the memories and listed 22 families as charter members. When the Crane and the Way families arrived here in 1898, Sunday School classes (apparently inter-denomina-tional) were held for a short time in the Dining Room of the San Dimas Hotel. Next, San Dimas families held services in an old store building downtown, with visiting preachers of all denominations, including Mormon. Then some San Dimas people helped build a small Methodist church in Lordsburg and worshiped there. About 1900, there were enough San Dimas Methodists to buy three lots from J. A. Johnstone for $100 on W. Second St. There was already an old hall there, so that served as the church, or Methodist Mission, and the Lordsburg pastor, Rev. McGowen, shared his time between the two towns for a year. Boards were put across boxes from the packing house to serve as pews. Soon the church members began to build their church on the corner lot, with G. E. Carter as contractor and builder. It was dedicated in August, 1901. The first pastor was Rev. W. A. Brown, who received $25 per month plus a furnished house. The J. N. Cranes donated the organ that they had brought from Nebraska. The first wedding was in 1902, when Ernest Montgomery married Jenny Clickner. As soon as the new church was dedicated, the little old hall to the west was demolished. The La Verne Heights School building which had been replaced, was purchased. J. N. Crane with his sons Wes and Gus, along with Frank Cramer and his son, moved this school building, using horses and wagons, to the lot just west of the church. It was used as a Town Hall, with a Library in one room, for several years. Then it was remodeled into a Parsonage, and is still used by the church for meeting rooms. Trees planted on the church grounds were those mentioned in the Bible - Sycamore, Carob, Pomegranate, Almond, Fig, Olive, and Date Palm. |
In 1911, an addition was built for Sunday School rooms, and again in 1926, when the Sunday School enrollment was 248. At this time, also, a cornerstone was laid. The basement was enlarged to contain a kitchen and large meeting room. Forty cents was then a fair price for a dinner. We have been unable to find the date when the bell was purchased, but the price was $400, raised by the women quilters. At one time, there were two Ladies’ Aid Societies, and a Missionary Society. There is an interesting article in the January 16,1930, San Dimas Press noting that the W. C. T. U. (the Women’s Christian Temperance Union) would be ringing the bell at 12 noon to commemorate 10 years of national prohibition. The Hitching Rail has stood for “lo, these many years,” on the east side of the church, although it was higher when horses were hitched to it. The stained glass windows cost $25 apiece when they were installed. Many church records were burned when an ambitious janitor was asked to clean some cupboards in the back of a classroom. (Date and name of the guilty party,unrecorded.) To quote from the 1929 San Dimas Press, “As this Church has stood as a power for good in this community and has been a blessing to those who have come under its influence, we trust that it may continue to be so, during the years to come.” Note: As the Church is being cleaned and rebuilt from the February 21st fire, those who wish to help out, may send their donations to The San Dimas Methodist Church, 114 W. Second St., San Dimas, CA 91773. |