In New York, the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty had just been put into place. In the nation's capital, the Washington Monument was finally completed, and President Chester Arthur would become the last sitting president to date to lose his party's nomination for reelection. The year was 1884, and here in Burbank, near the site of what is now the Empire Center, the Burbank First United Methodist Church was dedicated.
Four years after that dedication, the church moved to San Fernando Road where it remained until moving to Third Street and Olive Avenue in 1922. Continuing to grow, the congregants entered into an aggressive fundraising drive in the late 1940s, and in 1952 completed the building of their present Glenoaks Boulevard home.
This past Saturday, the Burbank First United Methodist Church celebrated its 125th anniversary with a ceremony that featured comments and proclamations from local dignitaries followed by a daylong showcase of entertainment accompanied by food, games and a presentation of historical photos and artifacts pertaining to the church.
