First Baptist Church in America Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

First Baptist Meetinghouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. National Historic Landmark District Contributing Property

Front elevation, 2020
Location in Rhode Island Show map of Rhode Island Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Providence, RI
Built	1775
Architect	Joseph Brown; Multiple
Architectural style	Georgian
Part of	College Hill Historic District (ID70000019)
NRHP reference No.	66000017
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	October 9, 1960
Designated NHLDCP	November 10, 1970

The First Baptist Meetinghouse, also known as the First Baptist Church in America, is the oldest Baptist church group in the United States. It was started in 1638 by Roger Williams in Providence, Rhode Island. The building you see today was built between 1774 and 1775. Its first meetings were held in May 1775.

You can find it at 75 North Main Street in Providence's College Hill neighborhood. This important building was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It is connected with the American Baptist Churches USA.

History of the Church
- How it Connects to Brown University
- Building and Changes Over Time
Building Design
Today's Activities
Church Connections
Images for kids
See also

History of the Church

Roger Williams began holding religious services in his home in 1636. About a year later, in 1638, he officially formed his group into a Baptist church. For the next 60 years, the church members met in each other's homes. They also met outdoors when the weather was nice.

Early Baptists in Rhode Island did not want to build special church buildings. They thought it seemed too proud. But over time, they realized it was helpful to have a place to gather. So, they started building simple meetinghouses, much like the Quakers did.

The first church building was built in 1700 by Pardon Tillinghast. It was a small, 400 square foot building. It was located near Smith and North Main Streets. In 1711, Tillinghast gave the building and land to the church. In 1736, the church built a second, larger meetinghouse nearby. This one was about 1,600 square feet.

The current meetinghouse, built in 1774–75, was very different. It was the first Baptist meetinghouse to have a steeple and a bell. This made it look more like the churches of other groups. This change showed that Baptists in big cities wanted to gain more respect and recognition.

How it Connects to Brown University

A big part of gaining more recognition was having educated leaders. So, Baptists decided to start a college. In 1764, Dr. James Manning came to Rhode Island to start a college. This college later became Brown University.

The college first started in Warren. Then, it moved to Providence in 1770. James Manning, the college president, also became the pastor of the Providence church in 1771. The current Meeting House was built during his time as pastor. It was meant for worship and also for college graduation ceremonies.

Later Brown University presidents, Jonathan Maxcy and Francis Wayland, also served as ministers at this church. The Brown family, who gave their name to the university, were important members of the church. They were descendants of the church's founders.

Even though Brown University is now a non-religious school, it still uses the meetinghouse. Since 1776, it has been the place for Brown University's undergraduate graduation ceremonies.

Building and Changes Over Time

Building the church began in the summer of 1774. At that time, it was the biggest construction project ever in New England. Because British ships had closed ports in Massachusetts, many shipbuilders and carpenters came to Providence. They found work building the meetinghouse.

The main part of the church was ready in mid-May 1775. The tall steeple was put up in just three and a half days in early June.

Over the years, some things were added to the meetinghouse:

A beautiful Waterford crystal chandelier was given in 1792.
A large pipe organ was added in 1834.
Rooms for Sunday school, a fellowship hall, and offices were added downstairs between 1819 and 1859.
An addition was built at the back in 1884 for an indoor baptistery. This addition included a large stained glass window, which was later covered up.

In 1957, John D. Rockefeller Jr. helped pay for a restoration. This project removed some of the later additions. It helped bring the church's inside look closer to its original design.

The building was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Building Design

The church was designed by Joseph Brown. He was an astronomer and also an amateur architect. Brown's design was inspired by the plans of English architect James Gibbs. Gibbs had published his designs in a book in 1728. For example, the church's steeple is an exact copy of one of Gibbs' designs for another church.

Today's Activities

Besides weekly worship services, the Meeting House is a busy place. It hosts concerts, talks, and lectures. Famous artists, speakers, and leaders come to share their work here. As mentioned, Brown University still holds its undergraduate graduation ceremonies at the meetinghouse.

In 2001, history professor J. Stanley Lemons wrote a book about the church. It is called First: The History of the First Baptist Church in America.

Church Connections

The First Baptist Church in America is part of several larger groups. These include the American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island (ABCORI) and the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA). The church also supports other religious organizations. These include the Rhode Island State Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches. Many church members have held important positions in these groups and at universities.