The arrival of William Withers and Allan Cameron to Penetangore, as Kincardine was originally known, on March 5, 1848, was the beginning of our thriving community. By the following year, the population had grown and the settlers were holding church services in homes.
For the first 30 years, there were 3 different Presbyterian congregations – Knox Church represented the Free Church, West Church was part of the United Presbyterian Church and St. Andrew’s Church was connected to the Church of Scotland. As a result of the formation of the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1875, the churches united to form one church, Knox Church.
In the 1870s the population had grown as a result of the railroad and excellent crops. The village name of Penetangore became known as the town of Kincardine. Worship services were held in two languages, English and Gaelic until 1902.
In 1855 a frame church was built on the present church site and was used for Worship for 20 years. The brick and stone structure of the present building was started in 1875. The builder was D. M. Donald and the total cost, excluding the tower, was in excess of $20,000.00. In 1878 Rev. Dr. John Murray was inducted and conducted the dedicatory service for the new church building on September 7, 1879,
A bequest in the amount of $10,000.00 was used to erect the bell tower on the front of the church. The church bell was installed by The Bell Co. of Troy, N.Y., U.S.A. and bears the inscription “A Gift by the late Elder, Robert Richardson to Knox Church, Kincardine 1889.”
In 1947 Rev. Douglas Stewart was inducted. In 1948, to celebrate the centennial year of the Church, a new choir loft and pulpit were built, the Communion table and organ were installed, the original 4 aisles were converted to a center aisle configuration, and the Sanctuary was carpeted. A special service was held on March 27, 1949 to dedicate the organ, Communion table, pulpit and choir loft.
In 1987 the old back entrance was torn down and a 3-story addition was added. This provided a an office for the Minister, an office for the Church Secretary, additional washrooms and storage for church supplies and church supplies. As well, an elevator was installed and two meeting rooms added on the second floor.
In 1997 the Bell Tower pinnacles and upper brickwork were showing signs of deterioration requiring restoration. The project was completed at a cost of $127,000.00.
Many other improvements to the building have taken place over the years. A new sound system was installed in 1999 and updated in 2021. In 2000 a Petrof Grand Piano was purchased. The year 2005 saw new carpet installed throughout the Sanctuary, Narthex and stairwells. Following a renovation to the Nursery in 2006, the next large project undertaken in the church was the complete demolition and renovation of the church kitchen in 2007. At a cost of $45,000.00, this job was completed entirely through the efforts of a few men of the congregation.
It is difficult to condense the history of our Church into a couple of pages. One tends to focus on the church building and the changes that have taken place to it. Knox Presbyterian, however, is not just a building; it is also the people who make up its congregation and our involvement in the community.
The church for a number of years now has been assisting the people of the African nation of Malawi. Locally, the church supports and provides the venue for the Good Food Box program, a monthly program to provide low-cost, nutritious food to local families. We have a liaison with the local Community Services organization to provide assistance to those in need. Through our support for events like the Summer Music Festival and for local groups like the Community Singers, we help enrich the artistic life of the community. Finally, the presentation of our Kirkin’ of the Tartan Service during the annual community Scottish Festival helps to promote and preserve the heritage of our community and our church.
The foundations laid by our ancestors at Knox Kincardine in 1849 still stand strong to carry our church forward into the future.