Stone Street Baptist Church facts for kids
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Stone Street Baptist Church
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 Location in Mobile, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mobile, Alabama |
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| Built | 1843 |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001749 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 8, 1985 |
Stone Street Baptist Church is a very old and important African-American Baptist church located in Mobile, Alabama. It was started long before the American Civil War. Today, many people see Stone Street Baptist as one of the most important African-American Baptist churches in Alabama. This special church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 8, 1985.
A Special Church in Mobile
Stone Street Baptist Church has a rich history. It is known for being a key place for the African-American community in Mobile. The church building you see today was not the first one. It was the second building used by this church group.
How the Church Started
In 1843, a piece of land was bought for the African branch of Saint Anthony Street Baptist Church. This land was at the corner of Chestnut and Tunstall streets. This group then became known as Stone Street Baptist Church. About 25 years later, the ownership of the land was officially given to the African-American leaders of Stone Street Baptist Church.
Important Leaders and Changes
The first African-American pastor for the church was Richard Fields. In 1859, some people who were descendants of the Clotilda joined the church. These families had come from countries like Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and Benin.
In 1864, Reverend Benjamin Franklin Burke became the pastor. He came from Richmond, Virginia. Reverend Burke led the church for 38 years until he passed away in 1902. He moved the church to a new location on Cleveland Street in 1870. This street was later renamed Tunstall Street to honor another pastor, Dr. Charles A. Tunstall.
Reverend K. D. Watkins was pastor from 1907 to 1915. He helped rebuild Stone Street Baptist Church in 1909. Later, in 1931, the church got a big update under the leadership of Reverend M. C. Cleveland.
