Begun as Maughlin Missionary Society Sunday School in 1905, the church was granted a charter in 1906 to become the Second Presbyterian Church of Lawrence.

 In the 1920s the name West Side was adopted to reflect the church’s location on the then west side of Lawrence. In 1967, the West Side congregation decided it was time for a roomier church with more parking. So a new building with plenty of parking was built on Kasold Drive.  

 With its emphasis on mission, West Side has an outstanding record, consistently contributing the highest amount per capita to the Presbytery of Northern Kansas. It is also one of the first churches involved with the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen (LINK), which serves free meals to the homeless and others in need.

 Since 1927, West Side has sponsored Boy Scout Troop 55, and currently hosts AA groups, plus is involved in other mission work, including making layettes for newborns at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.