The congregation traces its roots to the 1760s when Europeans first settled in the area, then a frontier territory disputed by Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Historically comprised of elite and powerful community members, First Presbyterian grew during the American Revolution and the early Republic. In 1889, the congregation commissioned J. Cleveland Cady, best known as the architect of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, to design a grand Richardsonian Romanesque-style church building. First Presbyterian has a long history of community involvement and activism starting with abolitionism in the 1830s.

Located in a formerly industrial city that has experienced economic declines over time, First Presbyterian is working to establish an in-house community center with free-of-charge space sharing to nonprofits. The church already hosts over 100 meetings and events each year, including free community dinners and monthly meal deliveries; a support group for mothers; and a volunteer-led peace camp for children. 

A $100,000 National Fund grant with $105,250 in matching funds raised by the congregation funded Phase 2 of a multi-phase campaign that included the installation of new HVAC systems, including natural gas furnaces and traditional air conditioning where space allowed, and heat pumps where there were space constraints. This project has opened the third floor of the church for classroom use and has allowed First Presbyterian to partner with another local church to provide English as a Second Language classes to a growing immigrant community.

First Presbyterian Church of Wilkes-Barre by Jonathan Edwards/570Drone