The main building at Aldersgate Retreat Center was build in 1892, and is the oldest building in Pacific Palisades. Originally located on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, it was built as a private home by a rail baron, in what then was one of the nicest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. It features a Mission Revival-style exterior and a Craftsman-style interior, a popular combination at that time that emphasized clean lines and functionality. In 1927 the building was purchased by United Methodist Church groups, cut in half and moved by mule team to its present location.

There were two groups that helped to buy the building, then known as the Lodge, and paid the costs of bringing it to Pacific Palisades. The first group was the "We Boys". The We Boys started out as a group of boys in high school that went to the First Methodist Church in Los Angeles. That group got together under the watchful eyes of Mrs. J. D. Burch. Over the years, the We Boys grew older and gained members until it was the largest Sunday School for young adult men in the country. Every Sunday, more than 540 young men would get together and study the bible. Mrs. J. D. Burch was their spiritual guide.

The other group that helped to buy and move Aldersgate's main building was the J. O. C. Women. "J. O. C." was a secret code that meant "Jesus Our Companion". The J. O. C. Women was a group of Methodist women that attended adult Sunday School classes at the First Methodist Church in Los Angeles. The J. O. C. Women and the We Boys would get together for parties and other events; eventually many of them intermarried and had families. In time, the two groups got together and purchased the Aldersgate Lodge and another house in Long Beach. These buildings were used for sleep-overs and picnics. Aldersgate was also used at one time as a location to broadcast national Christian radio shows.