 The congregation first met in a former schoolhouse in downtown Hamilton, with close proximity to two larger Presbyterian congregations, St Andrew's (now St. Paul's), the large Church of Scotland congregation, and MacNab Street Presbyterian Church (Hamilton), the second "Free Church".It was rebuilt in 1858, and became known as Central Presbyterian Church after the 1875 merger and affiliation within the Presbyterian Church in Canada; the successful union proposals were inaugurated by their former pastor William Ormiston, prior to his move to New York City in 1870.On June 21, 1906, the 1858 building was destroyed in a massive fire, and plans were commenced to rebuild in a new location; the minister's son, John M. Lyle, was architect of the new building, which was opened on June 14, 1908, complemented with a large Casavant Frères pipe organ.