First Baptist Church (Bay Minette, Alabama)

Original Location Of The First Baptist Church
The building in June 2013
Location N side D'Olive St., Bay Minette, Alabama
Coordinates 30°53′5″N 87°46′36″W / 30.88472°N 87.77667°W / 30.88472; -87.77667Coordinates: 30°53′5″N 87°46′36″W / 30.88472°N 87.77667°W / 30.88472; -87.77667
Area 0.6 acres (0.24 ha)
Built 1914
MPS Rural Churches of Baldwin County TR
NRHP reference # 88001349[1]
Added to NRHP August 25, 1988

First Baptist Church is a historic Southern Baptist church on D'Olive Street in Bay Minette, Alabama.[2] It was built in 1914 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[1] The Bay Minette Public Library currently occupies the building.[3]

http://focus.nps.gov/nrhp/GetAsset?assetID=b426ff5b-7559-474f-b0ca-d8a5c53b3302 Historical Summary: Bay Minette came into being when the L&N laid track across north Baldwin County in 1865. The town became a lumber and market center for much of the county. In the earliest years Baptists and Methodists worshipped together in a brush arbor. In 1870 they built the Union Church and alternated services. By 1878 the Baptists were strong enough to build their first church which stood until 1895 when another was erected. By the early 1900s the congregation once again outgrew its frame building and more ambitious plans were laid. A contract was finally let in June 1915; the building was to cost $5,300 exclusive of windows and pews. The lot, close to the square, was purchased for $500. By October 1915 the Baldwin Times noted the addition of the Baptist Church to Bay Ninette's "metropolitan arcade, where a bank and several stores face each other in bona fide Gotham style." (Baldwin Times, 10/7/15) The annex was added in 1925. Despite this the congregation outgrew the brick ediface and abandoned it in 1962 for a new building some blocks north of the square.

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Sledge, John (December 30, 1987). "First Baptist Church". Rural Churches of Baldwin County (Thematic Group). National Park Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014. See also: "Accompanying photos". Archived (PDF) from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Library". City of Bay Minette. Retrieved March 13, 2014.


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