The former Central United Methodist Church on Park Avenue West, now the Bethesda Fellowship Ministry Center, was dedicated on August 21, 1911.
It was designed by Vernon Redding, Mansfield’s best known and most prolific architect of his era, who was also the architect for the Leland Hotel and Carnegie Library building. Because of its heavy stone massing, it has been described as being of the Richardson Romanesque style, but its sloping roof with exposed truss ends, as well as its date of construction, suggests Arts and Crafts influences as well.
The congregation of Central Methodist Church was established in 1905 at the home of E.S. Nail, when 127 members of the First Methodist Church withdrew to set up a second downtown Mansfield church. Central’s first service was in the auditorium of the old high school on Fourth Street. By 1950, membership at Central had grown to a staggering 1,266.
Central United Methodist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 8, 1983.
Link to original:
http://1812blockhouse.com/history-tourism/mansfield-landmarks-central-united-methodist-church/