McDougall United Church, Edmonton

Located in Downtown Edmonton, the McDougall United Church is one of the city's oldest and most historically significant congregations. Originally established as a Methodist church, its roots trace back to the early days of missionary activity in Alberta.

Methodism arrived in the region in 1840 with Robert Rundle, an itinerant missionary who ministered at Fort Edmonton. The area saw more missionary presence with Peter Campbell in the 1860s, although Edmonton wouldn’t see a resident Methodist for another decade. In 1871, George McDougall, a key figure in Alberta’s Methodist history, founded a school to teach English to the children of Hudson’s Bay Company employees-at a time when French, Gaelic, and Cree were the dominant languages.

George McDougall and his son John were part of a family of missionaries who established missions in Pakan (northeast of Edmonton) and Morley (west of Calgary). After a devastating smallpox epidemic in 1870, which claimed the lives of several members of the McDougall family, the survivors relocated to Edmonton before eventually continuing their mission work in Morley.

The second Methodist church, built in 1892, was named "McDougall Church" to honor George McDougall after his passing. The current brick building, completed in 1910, was designed by H.A. Magoon in the Italianate style. The structure stands two-and-a-half stories tall and features classic design elements of its architectural style. A brick annex was later added in 1954, expanding its functional space.

Today, McDougall United Church stands not only as a place of worship but also as a testament to the early missionary history and cultural development of Edmonton.