Braddock Street United Methodist Church, one of the ten largest churches in the Virginia Conference and the largest in the Winchester District, began on July 5, 1858, when 32 persons withdrew from the Market Street Methodist Episcopal Church.

The cornerstone for the first sanctuary was laid on Oct. 8, 1858 on property on Braddock Street acquired for $449. The first Christmas services were held in the new building's base that year. The sanctuary was dedicated in July 1859. The membership had grown to 168 members.

The church closed in 1862 when the pastor, J. Lester Shipley, joined the Confederate Army and the membership had dropped to 60 persons.

In 1866, the church was repaired and services resumed. Membership rose to 250 members. Many more members from Market Street had joined Braddock Street at that time.

By 1890 the church membership had grown to 511 members. More than 100 years later, the membership is more than 1,700.

1902 was an eventful year. The Sunday School House was built at a cost of $10,294.30 and 144 books were authorized to be purchased by the Quarterly Conference to start the church library.

Before and during World War I, the church continued its steady and substantial growth. For instance the average Epworth League attendance was over 300 each Sunday evening.

By 1933, the Golden Rule Class had found themselves "pushed out" of the Sunday School House. They renovated the basement of the church sanctuary and met there until 1975.

The church's name has changed several times. In 1939, the church became Braddock Street Methodist Church when the Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South and Methodist Protestant Churches were unified. With the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, it was called by its present name-Braddock Street United Methodist Church.

Increasing Sunday school sizes as well as pre-school and Parents Morning Out programs stretched the capacity of the Education Building. The new Braddock Center opened in January, 1994 at a cost of $2.9 million. This center added an Adult Care Center, infant and toddler care, the scout room, the chapel, the library, choir room, offices, adult Sunday school rooms, a kitchen and a fellowship hall/gymnasium-all enabling Braddock Street to reach out in faithful ministry to the community and beyond.

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