First Baptist Church (Davenport, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Calvary Baptist Church/
First Baptist Church |
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First Baptist Church from the southwest in 2010
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1401 Perry St. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | John S. Woolacott |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83002409 |
| Added to NRHP | July 7, 1983 |
First Baptist Church is a historic church in the center of Davenport, Iowa. Because of its special history and architecture, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The church is part of the American Baptist Churches USA group.
Contents
History of the Church
Early Beginnings
The story of First Baptist Church began in 1839. A small group of people held their first service in the home of John M. Eldridge. The first pastor was Reverend Israel Fisher. The first church leaders, called deacons, were Richard Price and David Wilson.
The Baptists in Davenport used several different buildings in the early years. They first met in a room above a store. Later, they built a small brick church on land given to them by Antoine LeClaire, an important founder of the city. After a while, they moved to a new building at Sixth and Main Streets.
In 1851, a new group called Second Baptist Church was formed. They also moved several times before building their own church at Fourth and Perry Streets.
Coming Together
Building a new church cost a lot of money, and the Second Baptist group had a large debt. To solve this problem, the First and Second Baptist churches decided to join together. In 1864, with a new pastor named Reverend D.S. Watson, the debt was paid off. The united church was renamed Calvary Regular Baptist Church.
On May 6, 1886, the church members decided it was time for a brand-new building. They chose a spot at the corner of Perry and Fourteenth Streets.
A Grand New Building
The land for the new church cost $3,400. An architect from Chicago, John S. Woolacott, designed the beautiful building. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was laid on September 21, 1889.
The church was officially opened on Sunday, May 25, 1890. The total cost to build and furnish it was $33,000. This price included a large pipe organ that cost $3,100.
In 1968, the church changed its name back to First Baptist Church, which it is still called today.
A Unique Building Style
First Baptist Church was built in a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. This style was popular in the late 1800s and was inspired by the work of architect Henry Hobson Richardson. It is known for using heavy, rough stone and wide, rounded arches.
The church is made of red brick and rough stone, giving it a strong and impressive look. It has large, rounded windows mixed with smaller rectangular windows. Many of the windows are filled with colorful stained glass.
The main part of the church has a very high, steep hipped roof. The most noticeable feature is a tall corner tower. This tower used to have a pointed spire on top, but it was damaged in a storm in the 1950s and had to be removed. A wing for classrooms is also attached to the main building.
