First United Methodist Church - Escondido, CA, USA

Incorporated in November 1886 as the Methodist Episcopal Church of Escondido, this is Escondido's oldest Protestant church.  Their first permanent building was dedicated in August 1887 at Grand Avenue and Ivy Street.  By 1924 the congregation had outgrown the building and a new structure was built at the corner of Kalmia Street and Fourth Avenue (formerly Illinois Avenue).  A Greek-style cement block building, it was dedicated in December 1921.  In 1939 the First Methodist Episcopal Church became the First Methodist Church.  To accommodate the growing congregation that building was demolished in 1964 and the present structure was built on the same site in 1965.  In 1968, through more mergers, the First Methodist Church became the First United Methodist Church.

The front of the building, facing Fourth Avenue, features an enormous stained-glass facade.



Located at 341 South Kalmia Street at the intersection of Fourth Avenue.