Mr. H. W. Stone, first Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), and Warren Collins, owner of Collins Art Company, were among the small group of ministers and businessmen instrumental in founding the Mission.  Mr. Collins served as the first superintendent.

Edward Henry Manwarring, a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, recorded the earliest known history of the Mission as his thesis for a Master of Theology degree.  Personal interviews served as the core of his work; therefore, he captured an important era in the Mission's history.  Manwarring discovered that the YMCA influenced the Mission's focus, primarily because most of the staff at the Mission were also active in the YMCA.  He wrote, "Mr. Stone was interested in the welfare of humanity, especially from an evangelistic point of view. . . .  The primal idea of the Mission was evangelistic."

A large demand for the Mission's services developed from the early 1900s through World War I.  Fort Worth's population had grown faster than the city could support.  People were in need of food, clothing, shelter, and advice.  The Mission freely ministered to those needs.

The Mission's motto, "No creed but Christ; no law but love," was adopted on June 17, 1909, at a public meeting held at the First Methodist Church.  Dr. George W. Truit of Dallas, Dr. L.R.

Scarborough (former President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary), and Dr. Forrest Smith (Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church) were 3 of the ministers associated with the Mission during the early 1900s.
At this time, the Mission moved to a building on Jones Street near 16th Street and later to a building at 1502 Main Street.  In 1928, the Mission acquired the Old Landmark Building at 14th and Main, which was used for evangelistic and missionary work, and the UGM Railroad Hotel at 15th and Houston.  The UGM Railroad Hotel is now the Tarrant County College Administration Building.  By 1979, all operations had moved to the to UGM Railroad Hotel building even though it was in need of extensive repair.  The current Men's Building at 1331 East Lancaster was funded through the efforts of four men: M. J. Neeley, Babe Fugua, J. C. Pace and Clark Nowlin.  In 1982, Mr. Neeley, in exchange for the Railroad Hotel building, assisted in raising the required funds needed to purchase, remodel, and expand an old nursing home behind the M. J. Neeley Men's Building.  This new building became the Family Center for women and children.

As the century came to a close, the Mission continued to expand.  In 1993, it built McFadden Hall, located next to the Family Center, to house elderly women. In early 1999, the Mission purchased a 15,000 square foot building, located across Lancaster from the Men's Building, to use as a collection and distribution center for donated clothing and housewares.  

In late 2002, the Board of Directors completed a successful capital campaign and opened the John and Jo Catherine Cox Facility, providing housing for homeless mothers and children, an expanded dining hall & kitchen, a Chapel seating over 200, and an Educational Laboratory.  The former Family Center, became the Women’s Center, now exclusively for single women.

In 2006 the former warehouse was remodeled to serve as a temporary men’s dorm while the 30 year old M. J. Neeley Men’s Building was completely renovated and reconfigured.  When the Men’s Building renovation was complete, the building at 1350 East Lancaster underwent yet another change.  It was reconfigured to provide offices and exam space for Union Gospel Mission’s Healing Shepherd Clinic, Fort Worth’s’ first and only free clinic exclusively providing health care to the homeless.  A large portion of the building is rented to Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County serving as both behavioral clinic and a residential program for men.

The ministry of Union Gospel Mission played an important part in the bestselling memoir, Same Kind of Different as Me, the story of a Dallas art dealer and a homeless drifter who became best friends through a relationship which began at Union Gospel Mission.  Work has begun to turn Same Kind of Different as Me into a motion picture due for release in 2010.  Their new book, What difference do it make? is due out in September.  Literary interest in Union Gospel Mission continues.  Dr. David Murf, PhD., has finished a first draft of an in-depth history of the Mission’s 120 years of service to the homeless.
Currently the Mission houses over 325 people each day.  The 26-room Family Center gives mothers with up to 4 children a private space to call home.  The 32 bed Women’s Center provides a safe place for homeless women.  McFadden Hall is a 16-room long-term facility for elderly women.  The newly renovated Men’s Building shelters 200 men, has emergency accommodations for 25, and has the area’s only designated facilities for custodial fathers.  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily to both our residents and our guests from the streets. 
Union Gospel Mission continues to be a beacon of hope; offering the means to embark on a new future to homeless men, women and families who come to us for help.  Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs are met on a daily basis with temporary and transitional housing, free meals, clothing, and laundry facilities.  Counseling and life classes teach the basic skills necessary to repair broken lives.  Child care and tutoring programs help our children achieve in school and regain self esteem.  Chapel services provide hope, spiritual growth and structure.  The Good Shepherd Health Clinic provides free primary health care and medication for our residents and guests.  All Mission programs aim toward achieving productive independence for each individual; regardless of gender, race, or religious beliefs.
Working in collaboration with many local agencies and organizations, Union Gospel Mission facilitates access to services and benefits available in the community to augment and compliment Mission programs.  Commitment to non-duplication of services is one facet of the Mission’s dedication to good stewardship.  Union Gospel Mission accepts no government funding, relying solely on the generosity of individuals, businesses and foundations to provide for the community’s neediest citizens.

Dr. Murph is writing a book on the history of UGMTC. If you would like to send us any anecdotes of your involvement with the Mission in the past, please send stories, photos, etc. to us at: president@ugm-tc.org.