First Baptist Church (Davenport, Iowa)
Encyclopedia
First Baptist Church is located at 1401 Perry Street, Davenport, Iowa
, United States
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as Calvary Baptist Church/First Baptist Church.
Baptists then occupied a series of buildings in the city. They moved into a room over a store on Front Street, now River Drive. Services were held there until the congregation built a brick structure at the corner of Fourth and Brady Streets on a lot donated by Antoine LeClaire
. The congregation met there until they moved into a new building on the corner of Sixth and Main Streets. They sold the Brady Street location to St. Luke's Episcopal Church
.
In October 1851 sixteen persons who had taken letters from the First Baptist Church met in a school house on Perry Street to organize Second Baptist Church. The first officers of the church were Dr. J. M. Witherwax, C. G. Blood, W. M. Crosson, Levi Davis and J. Solomon.
The Second Baptist congregation purchased a house on the northwest corner of Fourth and Perry Streets and held services there. In 1852 they sold this lot and bought one on the southwest corner of Fourth and Perry. A short time later they moved to Third and Brady Streets into a place called the Medical College. That same year the Rev. E.M. Mills joined the community as its pastor. He stayed for five years, and toward the end of his pastorate they built a church building at the corner of Fourth and Perry Streets.
Second Baptist incurred considerable debt in building its new building. Soon after the building was completed both First and Second Baptist were joined. In 1864 the Rev. D.S. Watson became pastor, the debt was cancelled, and the church was renamed Calvary Regular Baptist Church.
On May 6, 1886 under the pastorate of the Rev. Frank L. Wilkins, D.D. the congregation decided to build a new church building on the corner of Perry and Fourteenth Streets. They purchased the property for $3,400.
In 1968 the congregation reverted to the name First Baptist Church.
for the new building was laid on September 21, 1889 and it was dedicated on Sunday, May 25, 1890. The total cost of the building and its furnishing was $33,000. That price included a pipe organ
, which cost $3,100. The building is a late 19th century interpretation of the Romanesque
style inspired by Henry Hobson Richardson
. The structure was constructed of red brick
and rough stone
. It incorporates wide rounded arches, massive form and a broad roofline. Period stained glass fills the windows. The corner tower originally had a spire
on top.
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Calvary Baptist Church/First Baptist Church.
Development
In 1839 First Baptist Church organized and held its first service in the home of John M. Eldridge on Brady Street. The Rev. Israel Fisher was its first pastor. The charter members were: J. M. Eldridge, Mary Eldridge, John Swartout, Charles Swartout, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Price and Mr. and Mrs. David Wilson. Richard Price and David Wilson were the church’s first deacons.Baptists then occupied a series of buildings in the city. They moved into a room over a store on Front Street, now River Drive. Services were held there until the congregation built a brick structure at the corner of Fourth and Brady Streets on a lot donated by Antoine LeClaire
Antoine LeClaire
Antoine LeClaire was a US Army interpreter, landowner in Scott County, Iowa and Rock Island County, Illinois, businessman, philanthropist and principal founder of Davenport, Iowa-Early life:...
. The congregation met there until they moved into a new building on the corner of Sixth and Main Streets. They sold the Brady Street location to St. Luke's Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Davenport, Iowa)
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is the historic cathedral in the Diocese of Iowa. The cathedral is located on the bluff overlooking Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974...
.
In October 1851 sixteen persons who had taken letters from the First Baptist Church met in a school house on Perry Street to organize Second Baptist Church. The first officers of the church were Dr. J. M. Witherwax, C. G. Blood, W. M. Crosson, Levi Davis and J. Solomon.
The Second Baptist congregation purchased a house on the northwest corner of Fourth and Perry Streets and held services there. In 1852 they sold this lot and bought one on the southwest corner of Fourth and Perry. A short time later they moved to Third and Brady Streets into a place called the Medical College. That same year the Rev. E.M. Mills joined the community as its pastor. He stayed for five years, and toward the end of his pastorate they built a church building at the corner of Fourth and Perry Streets.
Second Baptist incurred considerable debt in building its new building. Soon after the building was completed both First and Second Baptist were joined. In 1864 the Rev. D.S. Watson became pastor, the debt was cancelled, and the church was renamed Calvary Regular Baptist Church.
On May 6, 1886 under the pastorate of the Rev. Frank L. Wilkins, D.D. the congregation decided to build a new church building on the corner of Perry and Fourteenth Streets. They purchased the property for $3,400.
In 1968 the congregation reverted to the name First Baptist Church.
Present Church
The cornerstoneCornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the new building was laid on September 21, 1889 and it was dedicated on Sunday, May 25, 1890. The total cost of the building and its furnishing was $33,000. That price included a pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, which cost $3,100. The building is a late 19th century interpretation of the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style inspired by Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson was a prominent American architect who designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and other cities. The style he popularized is named for him: Richardsonian Romanesque...
. The structure was constructed of red brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
and rough stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
. It incorporates wide rounded arches, massive form and a broad roofline. Period stained glass fills the windows. The corner tower originally had a spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
on top.