The local church history collection, part of an ongoing project that began about 1930 in the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS), consists of annual histories of congregations and the Presbyterian Women in those congregations. The collection as a whole includes histories of over 5,800 churches from across the United States. Because the project began in the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS), representation is strongest for congregations in Southern states.
The dates of the histories for each congregation vary. Some include information from before 1930, often in the form of a summary of the congregation's early years. Information in the histories can include: names of ministers, elders, deacons, and congregational committee chairs and members; names of the officers and members of the Woman's Auxiliary, Women of the Church, or Presbyterian Women (names of these groups changed over time); women's circle names, members, activities, and meeting times; summaries of congregational and women's activities during the preceding year; financial reports for funds controlled by the women, identifying sources of income and specific distributions; and church membership data. Some histories include anniversary brochures; bulletins; photographs of people, buildings, and events; transcripts from session minutes (usually from the early years of the congregation); and news clippings.
The local church histories are primarily written by historians affiliated with the Presbyterian Women (or the Women's Auxiliary or Women of the Church of the PCUS). Most of the annual histories bear the names of the women who prepared them.
Information regarding submitting histories can be found on the library website: https://www.ctsnet.edu/library/collections-and-archives/presbyterian-women-histories/