The year was 1891. The American Civil War had ended only a generation earlier in 1864, the scars and memories of survivors still a part of everyday life. The railroads were expanding rapidly, including a critical link from Charleston to Asheville and on to the Ohio River Valley. This is how Tryon owed its existence.

The railroad construction made it through Tryon and on to Saluda 13 years prior in 1878. The construction of the Tryon Hotel began ten years earlier. Within the coming year, the facility was bought by Delia Williams who renamed it the Oak Hall Hotel. The City of Tryon had been incorporated six years earlier in 1885. The streets of the newly formed city were mere ruts in the red clay.

It is within this context that, on August 20, 1891, a group of people led by a young Missourian, Dr. Oscar Missildine, met at the vacated Methodist Meeting House on Melrose Avenue. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the establishment of a Congregational Church in Tryon. The rest is history.

The Congregational Church of Tryon is proud to be an integral part of Tryon’s history and community for the past 125 years.

“Our roots run deep and our traditions are living. We are a church that believes life is worth living, people are worth loving, and God is worth trusting. Thus we continue to adhere to our credo ‘no matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here’.” Visit us at ucctryon.org or on Facebook by searching “The Congregational Church, Tryon N.C. (United Church of Christ).”

– article submitted by The Congregational Church of Tryon Ellen Harvey Zipf