Scots-Irish Presbyterians arrived in this region in the mid-18th century. Those in the Big Lick community, later the City of Roanoke, built Ebenezer Church about 1802 and established Big Lick Presbyterian Church in 1851. Under the leadership of Rev. William C. Campbell, pastor from 1881 to 1923, the church planted seven new congregations during a period of tremendous population growth and later founded two more. The church changed its name to First Presbyterian Church in 1891. After meeting for 50 years at Church St. and Third Ave. downtown, the congregation moved to its Gothic Revival sanctuary here in 1929. The church became known as First Evangelical Presbyterian in 2016.