Bethel Baptist Church (Houston, Texas)

Bethel Baptist Church
Location 801 Andrews, Houston, Texas
Coordinates 29°45′20.2068″N 95°22′33.726″W / 29.755613000°N 95.37603500°W / 29.755613000; -95.37603500Coordinates: 29°45′20.2068″N 95°22′33.726″W / 29.755613000°N 95.37603500°W / 29.755613000; -95.37603500
Area less than one acre
Built 1923
Architect Blount, John L.; Thomas, James M.
Architectural style Late Gothic Revival
NRHP reference # 97001626[1]
Added to NRHP January 16, 1998

Bethel Baptist Church is a historic Baptist church building at 801 Andrews in Houston, Texas.

The Late Gothic Revival building was constructed in 1923[2] and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

History

The original Bethel Church building was constructed in 1889 as a haven for former slaves and was entirely constructed of wood.[3] Built by the Reverend Jack Yates, the plot was located in Houston's Freedmantown district.[3] The original structure was destroyed in the Great Storm of 1900. Between 1900 and 1920, a second church structure was erected on top of the remains but it too was later destroyed.[2] Twenty three years later, the church was reconstructed for a third and final time.[2]

In 1997, the last church service was held in the building after which it was abandoned.[2]

On January 24, 2005, a fire destroyed the interior of the church, leaving only the exterior brickwork intact.[3]"The roof, all the interior and even the church's back wall had been destroyed; all that was left were three walls, some concrete supports and the concrete floor."[3]

In 2009, the church was sold to the City of Houston. Soon thereafter, the city erected steel supports and a concrete floor to preserve the building.[3]

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Bethel Baptist Church". Houston Architecture. Houston Architecture Info. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Gray, Lisa. "Archeologists make surprising discovery at Bethel church: Ruins of Historic Church transformed into city park". Houston Chronicle. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 29 September 2015.


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