First Baptist Church (Bakersfield, California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Baptist Church
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 Location in Bakersfield, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1200 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, California |
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| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Charles H. Biggar |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival, Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000478 |
| Added to NRHP | January 2, 1979 |
The First Baptist Church, also known as the Bell Towers, is a very old and important building in Bakersfield, California. It was built in 1931. The church congregation moved to a new place in 1977. Today, the building is used as an office building. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on January 2, 1979. This means it's officially recognized as a historic landmark.
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Building Design and Features
This church was built in 1931. It was made from strong reinforced concrete. The outside looks like brick, but it was actually made by pouring concrete into molds. The roof is covered with red, Spanish-style tiles.
The Bell Tower
A tall, 70-foot (21-meter) bell tower stands right in the middle of the front (south) side of the church. This tower was part of the entrance area, called the vestibule and narthex.
Architectural Details
The south side of the church has big white oak doors with pretty arches above them. There are also "blind arches" (arches that are just for decoration and don't open) and mullions (vertical bars that divide windows) that go up to the roof. These features give the building its Romanesque look, which is a style inspired by ancient Roman buildings.
A single-story arcade (a row of arches) connects different parts of the building. It also surrounds a nice courtyard with plants.
Fellowship Hall
On the southwest side of the church complex is the original fellowship hall. This part was built in a Mission Revival style. It has tall, arched windows on its west side. On the south side, there's a large arched window that used to be a door, with smaller arched windows next to it. The old fellowship hall and the main church building are connected by a two-story section that matches the Mission Revival style.
Why This Building Is Important
The First Baptist Church building is in a very noticeable spot in downtown Bakersfield. It is known as one of the best examples of a building made with decorative concrete in the San Joaquin Valley. It's a famous landmark in Bakersfield.
This church is special because it's the only religious building from its time that survived the 1952 Kern County earthquake. That earthquake destroyed many other historic buildings in downtown Bakersfield. Also, this building has stayed mostly the same over many years, which is quite rare.
See also
