Trinity Methodist Church Remodeling
El Paso, Texas

Description: Trinity Methodist Church remodeling
Other Names: Trinity First United Methodist Church
Address: 810 North Mesa Street and East Yandell Boulevard, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Type: religious: church
Original Client: Trinity Methodist congregation
Historic Inventory:
Date: Reopened for services October 29, 1939
Condition: extant; in use as a church

Architect or Firm: Gustavus A. Trost
Associated Architect or Firm: Trost & Trost
Contractors: Harry Ponsford
Dimensions and Orientation: length: 108 feet excluding front stairs; faces east
Budget/Cost: $60,000

Foundation:
Wall Materials: brick, plastered
Roofing Materials: Spanish tile
Other Materials Used: cast stone ornament
Remodeling and Additions:

Present Owner: Trinity Methodist congregation
Location of Drawings: El Paso Public Library: (O-20) 8 pencil on tissue drawings for details, one page, dated March 9, 1935, others dated August 10 and 15, 1939, July 29, 1939 and October, 1939; (WW-4) one auto positive of undercroft, same as Sheet 1, O-22; (O-22) pencil on tissue drawings, dated April, 1939 of, remodeling including side, front and rear elevations
Location of Documentary Photographs: El Paso Public Library, El Paso Methodist Church, 509 [not found 3/1989]

Bibliography: (1) El Paso Times, January 2, 1939, page 2, notice that church would be remodeled
(2) El Paso Times, January 26, 1939, page 1, story on proposed remodeling
(3) El Paso Times, February 12, 1939, page 15, illustration of rendering
(4) Martin O’Neill, “New Trinity Nears Completion,” El Paso Times, October 15, 1939, page 9, description of the remodeled church
(5) Desider Holisher, The House of God (New York: Crown Publishers, 1946), page 196, perspective view from street corner showing church and education building
(6) Verdon R. Adams, Methodism Comes to the Pass; a History of Trinity United Methodist Church of El Paso (El Paso: Guynes Printing Co., 1975)

Remarks: Commission 2931. The El Paso Times article of October 15, 1939, described the 1906 church as “red-brick Kansas Gothic,” and the remodeled church as “Spanish renaissance.” Apparently much of the original walls was retained, as well as most of the original windows. Five new windows were installed, and the undercroft remodeled to provide recreation and dining space.
The architect of the original 1906 building was S. E. Patton, according to: American Architect and Building News, volume LXXXIX, number 1576, March 10, 1906, page ix.

See also Proposed New Trinity Church and Trinity Methodist Church Education Building

Prepared for the El Paso Public Library by Lloyd C. and June F. Engelbrecht under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, 1990