Founded in 1834, Farmingdale Presbyterian Church has been serving the community for over 180 years as a celebration of God’s love in a rural setting. Our long history establishes us as a community leader and spiritual resource.
The The history starts August 20, 1833 when God guided a group of fifty-two persons to leave their homes and roots, near Potsdam, New York, pile provisions in their wagons for the over-land trip to the then far west, gather their families and start toward their goal of a new life in Sangamon County, Illinois. The company arrived in October 1833 and the majority of them took up temporary residence in Old Sangamo Town, a town a few miles northwest of Springfield. In the spring of 1834 they moved west and settled on the prairies about Prairie Creek. The settlers then consented into organizing as a Presbyterian church. The first church was built in the foreground of the cemetery on land given by Luther A. Ransom and was known as Farmington Church.
A second church was erected in 1859 about a half mile west of the cemetery serving the community until construction of the current building in 1980. The name of the church was changed from Farmington to Farmingdale around 1905. The congregation maintains a strong emphasis on mission work and represents an ongoing witness through Worship Services, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Youth activities and a women’s association.
An updated Farmingdale Church History was edited in 1984. This narrative, concerning the Christian faith and conscience of the congregation is purposely different from former histories. The records and former histories of the church provided the necessary facts for a Sesquicentennial History but the relation of facts, to life situations, seemed overdue.
For our 175th Anniversary, the Church History was digitized, with new historical documents added as well as an entire new section for the years of 1984 to 2009. Together, they take the reader down many picturesque paths from rural pioneer living in Sangamon County to the present technological suburban life. Each copy of Farmingdale Church History is $10.00. Please contact the office for more information .
Personal memoirs and experiences may be added at appropriate places to make this, your family record of service to the Farmingdale Presbyterian Church to be passed on to future generations.