Old Town’s North Franklin Presbyterian Church Celebrates 110 Years

One of the staples of Lansing’s Old Town is the North Franklin Presbyterian Church corner of Grand River and Washington.

In 1863, Lansing’s First Presbyterian Church organized a new congregation to be located in what is now Old Town. The group was given a lot on which to start their own church. It sat on Franklin Avenue, therefore the name: North Franklin Presbyterian Church.

Everything started out fine after the church was built and consecrated in 1865. The first incarnation was a brick building, but by 1910 it proved to be unable to handle the growing community.

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At a special meeting, Pastor Richard Spetnagel suggested the construction of a new, larger church. After the congregation hired an architect in 1914, the old brick church was torn down the following year, and the updated one finished and consecrated in 1916.

When Franklin Avenue turned into Grand River Avenue in 1935, the name of the church was changed to the North Presbyterian Church.

In an ironic twist, the once-growing congregation began shrinking and  by 2010, the congregation was moved to hold services in Westminster Presbyterian Church.

The structure was purchased by The Epicenter of Worship and currently holds services as Crossroads Church.