The history of the First United Methodist Church of Huntsville began less than 25 years after the organization of Methodism in America when pioneers seeking land began to migrate into the Tennessee Valley. In 1805, an itinerant Methodist preacher, John S. Ford from South Carolina led one of the first large groups of settlers.

One of the first acts of the 1819 Alabama legislature in the new state was to empower religious societies to hold real estate. In the following summer, the trustees of the 175 member Methodist Episcopal Church received a grant of land and by 1821 built a church. By 1822, the new church was overseeing the conference's mission school for Indians.

By 1830, the little frame church in the western part of town seemed inadequate, so on March 7, 1832, on the present site, "the most commodious and most beautiful church in Huntsville," was built. It was burned to the ground on January 6, 1864, during the War Between the States, when Federal troops were quartered in the basement and, despite protests by the minister, built fires on the wooden floor to cook their food.

With courage and faith, the Methodists immediately began to rebuild. On August 7, 1867, the cornerstone was laid and the new church was ready for use by the spring. The annex was completed in 1924 and by 1956, the Educational Building was needed. The Wesley Center was dedicated October 27, 1985.

The History of the First United Methodist Church written by Ruth Ford in 1958 and updated in 1983 by Nancy Wilkinson Van Valkenburgh, is available for purchase in the church office. It tells many of the ways the church has served throughout the years and, with God's help, will continue to minister "In the heart of the City in the Name of Christ."