The First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, Indiana is a historic

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

congregation and

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

located at

Aurora An aurora ( aurorae or auroras), also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly observed in high-latitude regions (around the Arc ...

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, Dearborn County was formed in 1803 from a portion of Hamilton County, Ohio. In 2020, the population was 50,6 ...

. 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 Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...

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

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

foundation. It features a steeply tower consisting of a base,

belfry The belfry /ˈbɛlfri/ is a structure enclosing bells for ringing as part of a building, usually as part of a bell tower or steeple. It can also refer to the entire tower or building, particularly in continental Europe for such a tower attached ...

, 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 Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

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 Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,479 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the 2010 census, Aurora has a total area of , of which (or 89.41%) is land and (or 10.59%) is water. History Aur ...

' 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 pressurised air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a Musical keyboard, keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single tone and pitch, the pipes are provide ...

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, Dearborn County was formed in 1803 from a portion of Hamilton County, Ohio. In 2020, the population was 50,6 ...

, 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, Clay Township, Dearborn County, Indiana, 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 ...

, 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-Presbyterian-church-stub