First Baptist Church of Renner
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Renner Baptists organized in 1890 and met in the school building for eight years. Charter members were: B.F. and Kate E. Binkley; Elizabeth H., J.J., Mary A., and R.F. Butler; Mary E. and P.W. Collier; Mary L. Dickerson; George B., J.P. and Nancy E. Jennings; Mary A. McLary; Mary E. Meason; Rob C. and Margaret A. Reynolds. In 1897, the congregation bought this lot and erected a church. The present structure was built in 1925. The only surviving church in Renner, this pioneer fellowship remains a focal point in the community. (1976) 1980 supplemental plate: To better serve a changing community, the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Renner purchased this property in December 1979 and moved its place of worship to this location. The church became Preston Highlands Baptist Church in April 1980, with the first building dedicated on October 12, 1980.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When a handful of Renner Baptists organized in 1890, they had no building of their own and worshipped in the local schoolhouse for eight years. In 1897 the congregation bought this lot and raised a church, replacing it with a sturdier structure in 1925. As the surrounding countryside around Dallas urbanized, the fellowship followed its community, relocating in 1979 and taking the name Preston Highlands Baptist Church.
Why it matters
The congregation's long survival and eventual move mirror the transformation of rural North Texas farmland into the suburban sprawl of the modern Dallas metroplex.
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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