Church History

El Bethel was founded in 1812 with meetings held either in a brush arbor or private homes. The first structure was a log cabin built in 1832. A school called White Plains Academy was erected on the property in 1859. By 1874, eight members of El Bethel were working and living in town and because of limited transportation Central United Methodist was founded. The present sanctuary was built in 1912 at a cost of $8000, with the education building being added in 1931. The parsonage was built in 1952 and the Fellowship Hall in 1960.