Eagle River Presbyterian Church is the most historic church in Eagle County, with roots tracing back to 1881 and the Red Cliff Church, the first chartered church in Eagle County. As the railroad industry gained momentum in the high country, the Town of Minturn sprang up downriver from Red Cliff, and in 1914, a new church was chartered in Minturn.
By the 1940s, Minturn's church became the center of Presbyterian worship. During the 1980s, as the ski industry was growing along the I-70 corridor, there were PC(U.S.A.) services in four pulpits - Red Cliff, Minturn, the Vail Chapel, and the Beaver Creek Chapel. By the time the 1990s arrived, it was not practical to maintain four preaching points. The worshippers, in what was then the Presbyterian Parish of Minturn and Red Cliff, realized they were outgrowing their available facilities. In 1998, they made the radical decision to die to self to move, literally and spiritually, into the 21st century. ERPC moved into its current building next to the Eagle River in Eagle Vail in December 2002.
Over the next decade, ERPC continued to grow as the popularity of the Vail Valley as a resort community expanded. In 2011, church leaders began to explore the need to expand the current facilities. In April 2012, the Session approved a campaign to expand the facilities and programs to better serve the congregation and community. A $1.7 million expansion project included expansion of the sanctuary, kitchen, and Christian Education facilities, and the addition of Fellowship Hall. The project was completed and dedicated in November 2013. Like those pioneers who settled Eagle County, ERPC continues to embody the pioneering spirit as it continues to grow and serve the community's needs.
