In 1872, a group of settlers from Boston, Massachusetts, settled two and one-half miles south of Gridley and formed a village called Bangor. A schoolhouse was erected and preaching services were held there regularly. In 1866, with the coming of the railroad, the town of Gridley was laid out, and the Bangor Church was moved to Gridley. In October of 1894, the charter of the church was filed with the Secretary of State. Each Sunday morning, the same bell that called worshippers to the Bangor church, tolls the hour for Sunday School and worship at Gridley United Methodist Church.