[1] The First Congregational Church was founded on July 20, 1862 with ten charter members.

George Thompson who had recently returned to Michigan following missionary work in Africa was persuaded to preach the first sermon and organize the new church.

The church first moved into a building on the corner of Second and Oak, but the congregation quickly grew, and by 1886 the existing structure was clearly too small.

The church has a stone foundation, solid masonry walls clad with red brick, and a black slate roof.

[2] On the interior, the main sanctuary has a ceiling 60 feet high, supported with curved arches and hammer-beam trusses.