Press release
This coming Sunday, April 12, members of First Presbyterian Church of Athens and their guests will dedicate something old and something new to the service of the congregation and the community at large.
The 105-year-old “Underwood House,” nestled next to First Presbyterian on East Tyler Street, has an interesting history. The house and the Presbyterian sanctuary are a matching pair, as they were both constructed in 1910 by builder W.O. England (after whom England Street is named, which runs behind Danny’s Barbecue). Many of the same materials, such as Athens Coleman Brick, and architectural touches and techniques were used on the two structures. It was Harris Underwood who had the two-story house built. Five years later, he gave it as a wedding gift to his son, Arch S. Underwood, and new daughter-in-law, Minnie. In 1948, the house was purchased by Joe and Janice Foster, who owned it until 1978. They and their daughter, Lynda lived there in residence. The Fosters started Hassell Foster Funeral Home on the site and were prominent local civic leaders. Mr. Foster served as president of the Athens ISD school board for a time. In 1978, following the death of Mr. Foster, the property was sold and utilized as a funeral home by several owners until purchased by the First Presbyterian Church in 2011.
The house’s connection to Arch Underwood is very significant, as he was one of the most influential citizens in the history of Athens and served for many years as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. At his death in 1972, Underwood was described as a “millionaire cotton man and confidant to three presidents.” In his youth, he was a contemporary and friend of legendary Athenians Clint Murchison, Wofford and John Cain, Ike LaRue and Sid Richardson. Rather than going into the oil business like so many of his friends, Underwood followed in the footsteps of his father, who had built the first cotton compress and warehouse in Athens in the 1880s.
To name but a few of his many civic contributions, Underwood converted an old ice plant into a city pool in 1925, gave land to the city to be used as a farmers’ market in 1927, was largely responsible for the construction of the first two gymnasiums in Athens, and played a significant role in the establishment of the Athens High School basketball teams of the late 1920s that won two national titles. Though he lived in Lubbock in his later years, he considered himself always to be an Athenian.
First Presbyterian Church of Athens purchased the property in 2011 thanks to a generous donation by the Wofford and Effie Cain Foundation, which also funded most of the house’s renovation. Cain Foundation board members John and Felecia Cain are congregants of First Presbyterian, and the foundation’s chairman, Frank Denius, grew up in the church and recalls that he spent considerable time at the Underwood House growing up. Mr Denius, and the Cain Foundation, have made many significant contributions to this community, to the state and nation. Mr. Denius’ mother, Francis Denius, was a longtime and faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church Choir and a tribute to her and to past choirs is represented in the makeup of a Memorial Plaza. To commemorate the historical influence of the Underwood Family and to honor the Cain Foundation’s bountiful gifts to the church, the building is being dedicated as: “The Cain Family Building” at the Underwood House.
A memorial plaza has been constructed to integrate the Underwood House into the church campus. The focal point of the new plaza is the “new” part of the project, a slightly larger-than-life bronze statue of Jesus with two children. The beautiful sculpture by internationally recognized artist Herb Mignery was commissioned as a gift by Mrs. Linda Foster Johnson and her husband, Bill Johnson, of Boulder, Colorado as a tribute to her parents and to the glory of God. It will be unveiled during Sunday’s dedication.
“We were delighted to learn of the church’s plan to restore and preserve this beautiful house … which served my family for so many years,” said Mrs. Johnson. “We wanted to find an appropriate way to honor my parents’ history there and were thrilled to discover the outstanding work of Herb Mignery.” Mignery has produced nearly four dozen special commissions, monumental sculptures and life-size busts and has exhibited in 24 museums across the country. He will be in attendance at the dedication, along with the Johnsons, members of the Underwood family, and representatives of the Cain Foundation.
Architects and Athenians John Guest and Jerry Beeler guided the church on the renovation project. “They’ve been instrumental in maintaining the architectural harmony of the church campus,” said church elder Steve Grant. “And Mr. Jim Harris, the project manager and a member of the congregation, has spent untold hours of work on this labor of love to restore the house.”
The public is encouraged to attend the dedication services at First Presbyterian, which will begin after services conclude on Sunday (about 12:15). The ceremony will include singing, a bell choir and refreshments. First Presbyterian is located at 306 East Tyler Street.
“We want everyone there who would enjoy seeing the renovated house and the sculpture,” said Grant. “The house is a gift we want to share, to be used as a form of outreach to enrich and enhance the lives of members of our community.”