The city’s first Methodist congregation and one of the oldest in Texas was formed in 1839 with Henderson Palmer as pastor, and noted minister Littleton Fowler served as presiding elder at its organization. Methodists in Crockett shared a structure with the town’s other denominations until they erected a frame building on this site in 1864. The church hosted the East Texas Annual Conferences of 1862, 1871, 1877, and 1888. Its present sanctuary, built in 1901-1902 of brick fired at the site, is the oldest extant house of worship in the city. The first sessions of the newly merged Texas Annual Conference were held here from December 3-8, 1902.