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 in Mobile, Alabama. It was started long before the American Civil War. Today, it's known 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.
The Story of Stone Street Baptist Church
The Stone Street Baptist Church building you see today wasn't the first one. In 1843, a group of people from Saint Anthony Street Baptist Church bought land. This land was for the African branch of their church. This branch later became Stone Street Baptist Church. About 25 years later, the land was officially given to the African-American leaders of Stone Street Baptist Church. This was a big step for the community.
Important Leaders and Community Growth
The first African-American pastor for the church was Richard Fields. In 1859, something very special happened. People who were descendants of the Clotilda joined the church. The Clotilda was the last known ship to bring enslaved people to the United States. These descendants settled in a place called Africatown. Their families came from countries like Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and the Kingdom of Whydah (which is now Benin).
In 1864, Reverend Benjamin Franklin Burke became the pastor. He was from Richmond, Virginia. Reverend Burke led the church for 38 years! He moved the church to a new location on Cleveland Street in 1870. This street was later renamed Tunstall Street. It was named after another respected pastor, Dr. Charles A. Tunstall.
Rebuilding and Renovations
Reverend K. D. Watkins was pastor from 1907 to 1915. He helped rebuild the Stone Street Baptist Church in 1909. Later, in 1931, the church got a big update. This happened under the leadership of Reverend M. C. Cleveland. These updates helped keep the church strong and ready for its community.
