A color postcard of the Mendocino Presbyterian Church, looking southwest from Main Street and showing the north and east sides of the church, 1950-1960. The entrance to the church is located on the south side facing the bay.
Albert Maxwell built this beautifully preserved English Gothic structure out of native redwood, milled in Mendocino. Construction began on October 7, 1867, and the finished structure was dedicated on July 5, 1868. It is the oldest Presbyterian Church in continuous use in California and is a California Historical Landmark.
March 2022
The nave is 33 x 54 feet, the tower narthex is 14 feet square, and the steeple reaches to a height of 78 feet. The ceiling of the sanctuary was built to look like the inverted hull of a ship, a reminder that everyone’s fortunes in town depended on the fate of ships at sea. The main door is located in the back because when the structure was built, it faced the now-gone Old Coast Road, the main route into town from the south.
Walking Tours of Historic Mendocino – Join our expert docents for a stroll and lively commentary. You’ll pass by early pioneer homes, historic meeting places, and buildings that make up the the Mendocino Historic District.