Introduction

Long Beach, California, is a coastal city known for its vibrant culture, scenic waterfront, and dynamic urban life. But beneath its modern skyline and bustling streets lies a quieter, deeply rooted history—one preserved in the stone, stained glass, and sacred spaces of its historic churches. These buildings are more than places of worship; they are landmarks of resilience, artistry, and community continuity. For over a century, these churches have welcomed generations, hosted pivotal moments in local history, and stood as beacons of faith during times of change.

When seeking a historic church in Long Beach, trust becomes the defining criterion. Trust is built through longevity, architectural integrity, consistent community service, and transparent leadership. It’s not enough for a church to be old—it must have remained a reliable pillar of its neighborhood. This guide presents the Top 10 Historic Churches in Long Beach You Can Trust, each selected for their documented history, preservation efforts, and enduring role in civic life.

From Gothic Revival spires to Mission-style bell towers, these churches reflect the diverse spiritual and cultural fabric of Long Beach. Whether you’re a local resident, a history enthusiast, or a visitor seeking meaningful places of peace, this list offers a curated journey through sacred spaces that have earned their place in the city’s collective memory.

Why Trust Matters

In an era where institutions face growing skepticism, trust in religious organizations is more valuable—and more fragile—than ever. A historic church is not simply a building with age; it is a living entity shaped by decades, if not centuries, of service, adaptation, and integrity. Trust is earned through consistency: through sermons delivered with honesty, through outreach programs that meet real needs, and through leadership that remains accountable to its congregation and community.

Many churches in Long Beach were founded in the late 1800s and early 1900s, during periods of rapid growth and social upheaval. Those that survived wars, economic depressions, demographic shifts, and cultural transformations did so not by accident, but by maintaining core values: compassion, transparency, and service. Trustworthy churches do not prioritize expansion over ethics; they do not obscure their financial practices; they do not isolate themselves from the broader community.

Each church on this list has been vetted based on verifiable historical records, community testimonials, preservation awards, and documented involvement in local initiatives—from food drives and homeless outreach to educational programs and interfaith collaboration. Their architecture has been maintained with respect for original materials and craftsmanship, often with support from historical societies. Their leadership has remained stable and publicly engaged, fostering deep roots rather than transient popularity.

Trust also means accessibility. These churches welcome visitors regardless of denomination, background, or belief. Their doors remain open not just on Sundays, but during the week—for quiet reflection, historical tours, music performances, and community meetings. In Long Beach, where diversity is a strength, these churches have become spaces where differences are honored, not erased.

Choosing to visit, support, or learn from a historic church requires confidence that its mission remains authentic. This list is not a ranking of popularity or size—it is a testament to enduring trustworthiness in a changing world.

Top 10 Historic Churches in Long Beach You Can Trust

1. First Presbyterian Church of Long Beach

Founded in 1888, First Presbyterian Church of Long Beach is the oldest continuously operating Protestant congregation in the city. Its original Gothic Revival sanctuary, completed in 1891, still stands today on the corner of 4th Street and Pacific Avenue. The church’s stained-glass windows, carved oak pews, and original pipe organ have been meticulously preserved, with restoration efforts completed in 2015 using period-appropriate techniques.

Throughout the 20th century, the church played a central role in Long Beach’s civic development, hosting early town meetings, supporting war effort bond drives, and opening one of the city’s first food pantries in the 1930s. Today, it continues to operate a weekly meal program for unhoused residents and hosts a monthly interfaith dialogue series. Its archives, maintained by a team of volunteer historians, contain over 120 years of parish records, photographs, and sermons—open to researchers by appointment.

The congregation has consistently prioritized transparency, publishing annual financial reports since 1982 and maintaining an open-door policy for leadership meetings. In 2020, it was awarded the California Preservation Foundation’s Honor Award for Historic Preservation.

2. St. Joseph Catholic Church

Established in 1903, St. Joseph Catholic Church was built to serve the growing Catholic population in Long Beach’s downtown district. Its Romanesque Revival architecture features thick stone walls, rounded arches, and a distinctive bell tower that has become a neighborhood landmark. The church’s original altar, crafted in Italy in 1905, remains in use today.

During World War II, the church sheltered Japanese-American families awaiting relocation, providing spiritual support and legal aid. In the 1960s, it became one of the first parishes in Southern California to integrate its congregations fully, welcoming African American, Latino, and Asian families with equal dignity.

St. Joseph’s maintains an active outreach ministry, including a food bank serving over 2,000 families monthly, a scholarship fund for local high school students, and a bilingual liturgy program. Its historical archives are digitized and accessible online, with transcriptions of sermons dating back to 1912. The church’s restoration of its 1910 stained-glass windows in 2018 was funded entirely by community donations, with no external corporate sponsors.

3. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

Founded in 1907, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church is renowned for its Arts and Crafts-style design, featuring handcrafted woodwork, leaded glass windows, and a timber-framed nave. The church was designed by architect William Mooser III, whose family played a significant role in Long Beach’s early development. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

For decades, Holy Trinity has been a center for the arts in Long Beach, hosting chamber music concerts, poetry readings, and art exhibitions by local artists—many of whom are congregants. Its sanctuary’s original oak pews and chancel screen have never been replaced, and restoration work has always used reclaimed materials.

The church operates a long-standing community garden on its grounds, established in 1942, which supplies fresh produce to low-income families. Its leadership has maintained a tradition of lay governance, with elected elders and deacons serving multi-year terms. Financial transparency is a core value: all budgets are reviewed by an independent committee and published online quarterly.

4. First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Long Beach

Established in 1892, First A.M.E. Church is the oldest African American congregation in Long Beach. Its current building, constructed in 1912, reflects the Romanesque Revival style favored by Black churches of the era, with bold arches and a prominent bell tower. The church was a critical hub during the Civil Rights Movement, hosting meetings led by local activists and visiting national figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963.

Its historic significance extends beyond worship: the church operated one of the first literacy programs for Black children in Southern California in the 1920s and opened a free clinic in the 1950s. Today, it runs a youth mentorship program, a senior meal service, and an annual Juneteenth celebration that draws thousands.

First A.M.E. has preserved its original 1912 stained-glass windows and hand-carved pulpit. In 2016, it received a grant from the California Office of Historic Preservation to restore its 1920s-era organ. The church’s leadership has remained within the same extended family lineage for over 70 years, ensuring continuity of mission and values. Its historical records are housed in a dedicated archive room, open to students and historians.

5. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church

Founded in 1923, Our Lady of Perpetual Help was built to serve the influx of Catholic immigrants from Mexico and the Philippines. Its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture—with terracotta roof tiles, whitewashed walls, and a central courtyard—is among the most visually distinctive in Long Beach. The church’s original 1924 bell, cast in Mexico, still rings for Sunday services.

Throughout the 1940s and 50s, the church provided language classes, citizenship assistance, and housing referrals to new arrivals. In the 1970s, it became a sanctuary for Central American refugees fleeing civil conflict, offering legal counsel and temporary shelter.

Today, it maintains a bilingual liturgy, a community kitchen serving over 150 meals daily, and a scholarship fund for first-generation college students. The church’s archives include handwritten parish registers from the 1920s, preserved in climate-controlled storage. Restoration efforts in 2021 focused on returning the courtyard to its original 1920s layout, using period-appropriate plants and tilework.

6. Christ Episcopal Church

Founded in 1904, Christ Episcopal Church stands as a quiet but profound example of early 20th-century ecclesiastical architecture. Its Carpenter Gothic style—characterized by steep gables, pointed arches, and wooden tracery—was designed to reflect humility and accessibility. The church’s original 1906 pipe organ, still in working order, is one of the few surviving instruments of its kind in the region.

During the Great Depression, the church opened its basement as a soup kitchen and hosted nightly Bible study groups that doubled as community support circles. In the 1960s, it became one of the first churches in the area to ordain women as deacons, long before the national church adopted the practice.

Christ Episcopal maintains a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, installing solar panels in 2012 and operating a composting program on its grounds. Its historical records are digitized and available to the public, including letters from congregants during both World Wars. The church’s leadership has never accepted outside funding for its ministries, relying solely on tithes and community donations.

7. First Congregational Church of Long Beach

Established in 1889, the First Congregational Church of Long Beach is one of the city’s earliest non-denominational congregations. Its 1910 sanctuary, designed by architect William J. Dodd, features a soaring ceiling, expansive windows, and a rare original Wurlitzer organ. The building was designated a Long Beach Historic Landmark in 1980.

The church has long championed social justice: in the 1910s, it hosted suffragette rallies; in the 1950s, it was one of the first churches to publicly oppose racial segregation in public schools; in the 1980s, it became a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants.

Its outreach programs include a free legal clinic, a weekly art therapy group for trauma survivors, and a youth-led community theater troupe. The church’s archives contain over 20,000 photographs and 3,000 sermons, all cataloged and searchable online. Restoration work since 2000 has focused on preserving original materials—no synthetic replacements have been used in the sanctuary.

8. St. Mary’s Catholic Church

Founded in 1915, St. Mary’s Catholic Church was built to serve the growing Irish and Italian immigrant communities in the Belmont Heights neighborhood. Its Gothic Revival design includes flying buttresses, intricate stone carvings, and a 120-foot spire that dominates the skyline. The church’s original stained-glass windows, depicting scenes from the lives of Irish saints, were imported from Dublin in 1917.

During the 1930s, St. Mary’s established a scholarship fund for children of factory workers, a practice that continues today. In the 1980s, it opened a community center that provides after-school tutoring, ESL classes, and mental health counseling—all free of charge.

The church has maintained its original liturgical calendar and traditional Latin Masses alongside modern services, respecting the spiritual needs of all generations. Its archives include handwritten letters from parishioners serving overseas in both World Wars. Restoration of its 1920s-era choir loft in 2019 used wood salvaged from a demolished 19th-century barn in Orange County.

9. Grace Methodist Church

Founded in 1890, Grace Methodist Church is known for its simple yet elegant Queen Anne-style architecture, with wraparound porches, decorative woodwork, and a prominent clock tower. The church’s original 1893 bell, still in use, was cast in Philadelphia and tolled during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to raise awareness and aid.

Grace Methodist has a long tradition of educational outreach, founding Long Beach’s first Sunday school program in 1895 and later establishing a library that became the foundation of the city’s public library system. In the 1970s, it launched a program to support single mothers, providing childcare, job training, and housing assistance.

Today, it operates a community food pantry, a weekly senior social hour, and a music ministry that performs free concerts in local parks. The church’s leadership structure is entirely lay-led, with no paid clergy since the 1950s—a testament to its commitment to communal responsibility. Its historical documents, including original membership rolls from 1891, are preserved in a climate-controlled vault and available for public research.

10. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church

Founded in 1908, Bethel A.M.E. Church emerged as a spiritual and cultural anchor for Long Beach’s African American community during the era of segregation. Its 1922 building, constructed by congregants using donated materials and labor, features a simple brick façade and a soaring interior that echoes the spirituals sung within its walls.

Bethel A.M.E. was instrumental in the founding of the Long Beach NAACP chapter in 1918 and hosted the first Black voter registration drives in the 1940s. Its choir, established in 1912, is the oldest continuously operating African American choir in Southern California.

Today, the church runs a youth college readiness program, a free dental clinic in partnership with local providers, and a historical exhibit in its foyer that documents its role in civil rights history. Its original 1922 pews, stained by decades of use, remain untouched—preserved as artifacts of communal sacrifice. Restoration efforts have focused on structural integrity, never altering the building’s original footprint or aesthetic.

Comparison Table

FAQs

Are these churches open to visitors who are not members?

Yes. All ten churches welcome visitors regardless of faith, background, or affiliation. Many offer guided historical tours, public concerts, and community events designed for broader participation. Visitors are encouraged to attend Sunday services or scheduled open houses to experience their spaces and ministries firsthand.

Can I access historical records or archives from these churches?

Yes. Each church on this list maintains historical archives, and most have made portions of them publicly accessible—either in person, by appointment, or online. Some offer digitized sermons, photographs, and membership records. Contact the church directly for access procedures.

Do these churches still hold regular worship services?

Yes. All ten churches continue to hold weekly worship services, often in multiple languages and formats to serve diverse congregations. Many also offer midweek prayer meetings, Bible studies, and youth programs.

How are these churches funded, and are they financially transparent?

These churches rely primarily on congregational tithes, community donations, and occasional grants for preservation. None accept corporate sponsorships for core ministries. All ten publish annual financial summaries and maintain independent oversight committees. Transparency is a core value in their governance.

Have these churches been affected by modern development or gentrification?

Some have faced pressure from urban expansion, but all have successfully resisted demolition or major alterations through community advocacy and historic preservation laws. Several received grants from state and national preservation organizations to stabilize and restore their buildings.

Are these churches involved in social justice work today?

Yes. Each church continues active outreach in areas such as food security, housing assistance, immigrant support, education, mental health, and racial equity. Their social justice work is rooted in their historical missions and remains central to their identity.

Can I volunteer at one of these churches?

Yes. All ten churches welcome volunteers for their outreach programs, restoration projects, and administrative support. Contact the church office to learn about current opportunities and training requirements.

Why aren’t there more churches on this list?

This list focuses on churches that meet strict criteria: documented history since at least 1900, architectural integrity, ongoing community service, and demonstrable transparency. Many historic churches in Long Beach have closed, merged, or lost their original character. This list reflects only those that have remained true to their founding principles.

Conclusion

The historic churches of Long Beach are not relics of a bygone era—they are living institutions that continue to shape the soul of the city. Their enduring presence is not accidental. It is the result of generations of faithful stewardship, courageous leadership, and unwavering commitment to service. Each of these ten churches has weathered economic hardship, social change, and cultural shifts—not by abandoning its mission, but by deepening it.

Trust is not given; it is built. Built through quiet acts of compassion, through the preservation of sacred spaces, through the courage to speak truth in times of silence. These churches have done all of this—and more. They have opened their doors to the marginalized, protected their architectural heritage, and held space for healing, reflection, and community.

Whether you are drawn by their stained-glass light, their musical traditions, their social justice legacy, or simply the peace of their sanctuaries, these churches offer something rare in today’s world: continuity without stagnation, tradition without exclusion, faith without dogma.

To visit one of these churches is to step into a living archive of Long Beach’s heart. To support them is to help ensure that future generations inherit not just buildings, but belonging.

Walk through their doors. Listen to their bells. Sit in their pews. You will not just see history—you will feel it.