1900 - 1919

In 1906, a man named J. W. Childers opened his Classical Institute at the intersection of North First and Sayles Boulevard. With the influence of A. B. Barret and Jesse P. Sewell, the school grew and was renamed Abilene Christian College. The "local congregation" was invited to meet in the ACC Administration Building, where the auditorium could easily seat the 80 or so members plus those students attending ACC. Among these students were two young men who would later have a great impact on the Highland Church – Paul C. Witt, who would serve as teacher, song leader, and elder, and Lewis Smith, who would be an elder at Highland for nearly 30 years.

This group of Christians soon became known as the "College Congregation", and grew to fill the old auditorium by 1928. ACC had begun to outgrow its facilities and plans were being made to move the campus from North First Street to an area northeast of the city on some farmland. A massive fire destroyed the Administration building the day after Christmas, 1928. ACC's move was now a necessity.

But what would be the future of the College Congregation? The general consensus was that it would move with ACC to the new campus on "the hill". However, about 50 members chose to remain at the center of Abilene near North First because it was within walking distance to their homes. So, ACC deeded some land on North First Street to those 50 members, who then sold the land and purchased a lot at 449 Highland Avenue.