In 1888, the location of
the future site of the First Baptist Church in
Coleman is shown as a vacant lot. A frame
building was built there in 1889 as their house of
worship. The was a two story dwelling on the
northeast corner of the block. Dwellings and
outbuildings were added from year to year, until
by 1909, the block was pretty full.
1888 map
|
1893 map |
1898 map |
1904 map |
1909 map |
First
Baptist Church, Coleman, Texas, built in 1889
image from a commemorative plate |
First
Coleman Baptist Church
taken in the 1940's - from a colored postcard
|
1916
map |
1923
map |
1930
map |
1948
map |
| "In 1929, the First Baptist
Church was located at 200 East College
Avenue (then
called the southeast corner of Colorado
Street). Rev. C. E.
Lancaster was the pastor." (Coleman City
Directory, 1929 - Hudspeth.) |
The present auditorium (2004) of the
First Baptist Church in Coleman was erected in 1915,
while Rev. J. J. Kellam was pastor, replacing the
old frame building at the same location, which was
built in 1889. The three story education building
was built in 1927 during the pastorate of Rev C. F.
Lancaster.
Auditorium, with Education Building to
left, taken in 1948, with Texan Hotel to
right
|
Education
Building, taken in 1980 |
Composed of young people of
Coleman, the Christmas choir gave a program of
Christmas music at the First Baptist Church on
December 14, 1947. The director was Mollie Harris
and organist, Flora Dee Daughtry. First row, from
left, Inez Griffin, Peggy Brewer, Mrs. Ray Craft,
Neil Close, Lera McClellan, Frances Ann Tate,
Juanita Blanton, Joann Wright, Norma Glen Jameson,
Frances Evans, Vada Maria Walker, Lynn Burkett,
Betty Loafmann, Annie Waddell; second row: Beth
Coats, Dorothy Rains, LaVada Baucom, Verna Vance,
Betty Rains, Tina Mae Griffith, Rose Petty, Willene
Blanton, Billie Maurine Stepp, Lynn McGregor, Helen
Price, Doris Sneed, Frankie Lee West, Wanda Brown,
Loreta McCain, Juanita McCain; third row, Sidney
Ragsdale, James Wilder, Charles Stafford, Ronnie
Brown, Rodney Pirtle, Kenneth Kelley, Harvey Joe
Penney; fourth row, Jerry Dry, Mack Sampson, Ford
Holt, Garvel Hector, James Conger, and Ray Craft.
The choir area was built up for the program. The
usual choir and organ area was smaller.
Christmas Choir, 1947
|
Organ and Choir, 1947 |
On Easter Sunday the auditorium was
always full. A wide camera view of the auditorium
is seen in 1977.
East
part of auditorium, 1951 |
Wide
angle view of auditorium, 1977 |
The half block south of the First
Baptist Church on East Elm Street, with the
exception of one residential lot of 50 x 80 feet,
was purchased in March 1970 by the First Baptist
Church, to be used for parking space and for a
future building site. The property was part of the
Thames Estate and was purchased from his heirs.
Included were four frame buildings, including the
old Texan Hotel, an old two-story home at the corner
of South Colorado and East Elm Streets, a large
three-story frame house facing south on East Elm
Street and a smaller house on the corner of Elm and
San Saba Streets. All four of the structures were
either razed or moved. Under the leadership of Rev.
Bill Merritt, plans were made for the construction
of Phase I of a new educational plant. The Texan
Hotel at 311
South Colorado Street, was torn down in August
1970.
West
and South Sides of Fellowship Hall, 1975 |
South
and East Sides of Fellowship Hall, 1975 |
On December 17, 1972 ground
was broken for the new Coleman First Baptist Church
Education Building and Fellowship Hall, south of the
auditorium at the location of the old Texan Hotel.
The building included a new fellowship hall, kitchen
and classrooms. During foundation excavation,
workers found an old rock lined underground cistern.
This was not unusual, as many early Coleman homes
had cisterns for rainwater storage. The new
Fellowship Hall was the center of attention when the
cornerstone was placed in a special ceremony in July
1973, upon completion of the building at the corner
of South Concho and East Elm Streets. Pastor Bill
Merritt presided and noted that an information sheet
was to be placed behind the stone. The above views
show the west and south sides, left, and south and
east sides, right.
In the summer of 1978, a building
committee was selected to plan a new education
building to replace the old three story building. In
February 1980, all Sunday school departments and
church offices were moved from the three story
education building and demolition of the building
started. The old parsonage built in 1927, which had
been renamed Moss Martin Cottage in 1959, was moved
in April 1980.
Moss
Martin Cottage, 1977 |
Moving
the old parsonage, 1980 |
Demolition work for the new
educational building was completed in July 1980. On
July 27, ground breaking ceremonies were held and
construction was begun (below center, Autry). The
new education building was completed in June 1981
and dedication services were held June 21, 1981.
Groundbreaking for the new Education Building,
1977 |
Construction on the new Education Building,
1977 |
New
Education Building, 1981 |
Click
here for more
pictures and a history of the First Coleman Baptist
Church.
|