First Methodist Episcopal Church

In 1909, pastor E. C. Teachout provided this brief history for Augustus B. Easton's book History of the St. Croix Valley:

In 1845-46 J. W. Putnam was the first missionary among the whites of the St. Croix, and wrote the first history of Minnesota. Rev. Benjamin Close was the first resident minister in Stillwater, which was then the most prominent city in the territory. He organized the church of eight members December 31, 1848. Rev. James Harrington John W. Dow, Lemuel Noble, Rev. George W. Richardson, Rev. Richard Dudgion, missionaries, served the whole St. Croix Valley. Rev. T. M. Fullerton, serving in the land office at that time, also served the church as pastor, 1853. The first quarterly meeting was held March, 1854. The first church was built of unseasoned lumber at a cost of $1,332, and dedicated November, 1854. The first trustees being William Cove, John Allibone, Benjamin F. Hoyt, Nathaniel McClean and T. M. Fullerton.

Reverends A. C. Pennock, L. C, Collins, James Peet, George F. Hilton, A. S. Norton, S. C. Adams, T. M. Gossard and A. H. St. Clair served the church till 1861, when Rev. Edward Egglestan, the famous novelist, was pastor. Reverends T. M. Fullerton and William C. Shaw served till 1862, when the church was without a regular pastor till 1866. Rev. John Stafford was pastor in 1869-70, when the second church was built, when Rev. R. Langley, J. C. Webb, ––– Shogren, G. H. Hazzard, William Souden, Charles Rhoades, James Anderson, Jacob Bean and Isaac Staples were trustees.

Rev. H. J. Shaffner being pastor at time of dedication, Reverends A. B. Bishop, C. H. Snyder, J. H. Macomber, J. W. Kepner, David Tice, Thomas McClary, C. S. H. Dunn, N. W. Jordan, W. S. Mathew, J. N. Liscomb, William V. Brown, J. M. Bull, C. A. Cressy, J . W. Raviell, John Pemberton , A. S. Hale, W. J. Waltz and E. C. Teachout have been pastors since.

The church has never had a large membership nor a great building, but seems to have largely contributed to the spiritual life of the community. The present membership of over one hundred members is energetic, hopeful and prosperous.^[1]

The congregation merged with a Swedish-speaking Methodist congregation in 1945, worshiping at the other church's location on Myrtle street. The merged congregation moved to its current church at Myrtle and Greeley streets in 1960.^[2]