First Baptist Church of Gatesville
Gatesville, Coryell County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized in 1856 with fewer than a dozen members, this congregation has been a part of Gatesville history for more than a century. The first meeting of the congregation was held in the Coryell County Courthouse, and early worship services were conducted in the homes of members. The Rev. W. A. Mason was the congregation's first pastor. A stone building was erected in 1866 to serve as a community school and house of worship for all denominations. The Baptist congregation met in the Union Church until 1872, when its first sanctuary was built on the corner of Bridge and 7th streets. An increase in membership necessitated the building of a larger sancturary. This property was acquired, and a new frame building was completed in 1883. It served the congregation until 1936, when it was replaced by a larger structure. Additional facilities were built over the years to accommodate the growing programs of the church. An important part of Gatesville's history, this congregation continues to honor its founders and pioneers while serving the community with ongoing outreach programs. (1989)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Organized in 1856 with fewer than a dozen members meeting in the Coryell County courthouse, this Gatesville congregation grew over generations from homes to a shared 1866 stone building that also served as a community school for all denominations. It built its first dedicated sanctuary in 1872 and progressively larger ones as membership swelled. It remains woven into the town's history.
Why it matters
The congregation shows how church and school were often one and the same in frontier Texas, serving as the shared civic backbone of a young town.
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Related people
- · W. A. Mason
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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