Paca Street Christian Church

Later known as Harlem Avenue Christian Church and First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ Denomination)

First located - northwest corner of Paca and Lombard streets.

Originally the property housed a house which was purchased by a small Dunker congregation
(German Baptists)in 1787. The original deed was owned by John Eager Howard. In 1830 part of the building fell damaging a neighboring building.

The original Baltimore Disciples of Christ congregation formed in 1840, and for a decade met in houses, rented halls, and rented chapels until such time as they had enough money and strength in number to sustain a building and pastor.

In 1849, one of the Charter members of the Dunker group sold a portion of the property to the Disciples with the understanding that the Dunkers could make use of the Disciples building for their own worship. A great dispute occurred as the other members of the Dunkers were upset that they had not had a say in the sale. For a year the problem had its day in court. Until in 1850 the Disciples were able to secure legal rights to the property.

This building was enlarged and give a new facade in 1873
Thirteen years later the residential parts of neighborhood was quickly dwindling, with commercial, manufacturing, and the University of Maryland on the increase. In the Winter of 1886 the Paca St Congregation buys a triangle shaped lot at Harlem Ave & Fremont Ave., and in the Summer of 1887 vacated the old building to take up in their new home on Harlem Ave. Renaming themselves The Harlem Avenue Christian Church.
After the Disciples congregation vacated the Paca Street property, it was used to make cigarettes, then straw hats, and later shirts.During the Straw hat period it was partially damaged by a fire and in 1904 the Great fire. In 1905 the area including the Church grounds were built on by clothing factory. In recent years it has been consumed by the ever expanding University of Maryland.