Pioneer Churches of Springfield, Missouri ― Celebrating More Than a Century of Service

When American pioneers began to settle the Springfield area in the mid-1830s, they brought their religious faith and practices with them, worshiping in homes with circuit riding preachers traveling from town to town. As the population grew, so did the development of permanent church houses, beginning with two churches in 1852: Methodist and Presbyterian.Through the years, Springfield has remained a center for faith and worship, with over fifty-eight established houses in the early 20th century, and nearly one hundred fifty today. Pioneer Churches of Springfield, Missouri is the first published record of nearly forty churches that have remained active for over 100 years—all were established prior to 1915. Enhanced with nearly 150 photographs and illustrations, the book shows the diversity and growth of Springfield as a center for religious life for all faiths.

Paul W. Bass, a graduate of Southwest Baptist College and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, grew up in Independence, Missouri, and has served in full-time church staff positions for nineteen years. He and his wife, Jan, live in Willard, Missouri. This is his tenth book.Cecelia Marriott Chittenden was born the youngest of six children in Pinellas County, Florida. After living in the American West for over thirty years, she and her husband, Abram, moved to Missouri in 2010. She is the author of the “Pelicans Haven” trilogy and has written several other anthologies.