Second Baptist Church (Centerville, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Second Baptist Church
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 422 S. 18th St. Centerville, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1902 |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Centerville MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001223 |
| Added to NRHP | October 14, 1999 |
The Second Baptist Church is an old church building in Centerville, Iowa, United States. It is a special place because it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. This means it is an important building that should be protected.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
How the Church Began
The church started in 1893. It was formed by African Americans in the area. At first, only twelve people were part of the church group. They met and worshipped together.
As time went on, more people joined. By 1902, the group had grown a lot. They decided they wanted their own church building. So, they started raising money to build it.
Building the Church
In June 1902, they laid the first stone for the building. This special stone is called a cornerstone. It marks the start of construction. The church was built with wood. Its design was in the Gothic Revival style. This style often has tall windows and pointed arches.
Changes Over Time
In the 1920s, coal mining in the area started to slow down. Even so, the church kept growing. Its largest number of members was 126 people in the 1930s.
A famous opera singer named Simon Estes once sang in the church choir. This was in the 1940s. The church group used the building until the early 1990s. After that, the building was empty for a while.
Saving the Church Building
In 1996, people started working to save the church. They wanted to fix it up and keep it from falling apart. The repair work was finished in 2003. Today, the Second Baptist Church is used for concerts and other community events.
