The Methodist Episcopal Church North which had been inactive since 1844, revived after the war, chiefly through the leadership of Miss Eliza A. Carleton. She was a well-educated, devout woman who established Carleton Institute, north of town. In response to her call, three ministers came and organized a Farmington circuit, including all of St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve counties and parts of Jefferson, Washington, Iron, and Madison counties. In 1878 Farmington was made a charge. This group purchased a large brick building at Harrison and South Henry, from the Christian Church which had become inactive during the war. Services were held on the second floor, and the resident minister and his family lived on the first floor. This church was strengthened by the presence of Carleton College, which then had moved to Farmington. As this congregation grew; a new site was purchased at the corner of West Columbia and Franklin Streets. A building of native limestone erected here and was often called the Rock Church. The church growth was paralleled by the general growth of the town.