Members of First Church in the 1940's.

In 1886, Grover Cleveland was president, Federal troops captured Geronimo, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled, and the first organized work by Adventists began in Washington, D. C.  Elder Willard H. and his wife, Elder Charles Parmele and his sister Julia, along with a number of Bible Instructor apprentices, opened a city mission at 1831 Vermont Avenue, N. W.  In the first three months they gave 297 Bible studies gaining one convert.

By 1888, there was a Sabbath School of 46, and regular meetings were held in Claybough Hall at 1640 14th Street, N. W.  Elder John Corliss conducted evening meetings with the brethren to instruct them in the duties of church membership.  Believing the time had come for the perfection of the organization, Elder Corliss formed the First Church of Seventh-day Adventists of Washington, D. C. on Sunday February 24, 1889, with 26 charter members.

By the turn of the century the church was firmly established and involved in evangelism. In 1902 Elder Louis G. Sheafe and Elder J.S. Washburne conducted evangelistic crusades with Elder Washburn establishing the second Washington church--the Memorial Church. The General Conference was moved from Battle Creek to Washington at this time and the churches in the District of Columbia were assigned to the administration of the General Conference. By 1905 two additional churches had been formed, the Takoma Park and the People's Church with Elder Sheafe as pastor. In 1909 they were made a part of the District of Columbia Conference, which had been operating, from the Atlantic Union Conference.

By 1955, the small church on 8th Street, N. E. had become greatly overcrowded and the congregation under the leadership of El­der Wilmont M. Fordham purchased the property at 810 Shep­herd Street, N.W. On June 5-7, 1957, the official opening ser­vices were held with Elder Paul Cantrell as minister. Elder John H. Wagner, Jr., the next pastor, initiated an exten­sive remodeling program and the cost of the building and the renova­tion had been fully met at dedication. 

On February 14, 1999, the members of the First Church of Seventh-Day Adventists of Washington, D. C., also known as the First Seventh-day Adventist Church, celebrated its 110th Anniversary.