Gomez Baptist Church
Brownfield, Terry County, Texas
Marker Inscription
On August 3, 1903, nine worshipers gathered together under a wagon sheet tent to organize a Baptist church. Led by the Rev. J. R. Miller, the congregation met once a month in the Gomez schoolhouse. A one-room sanctuary, erected in 1909, was moved three-quarters of a mile northwest when Gomez was relocated due to highway construction. A larger church building was erected in 1936, and by 1942 the church had its first full-time pastor. The Gomez School, converted for church use in 1953, was destroyed by fire in 1960 and was replaced by a new structure. (1988) SUPPLEMENTAL PLAQUE: Gomez Baptist Church was disbanded in 1992.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On August 3, 1903, nine worshippers gathered under a wagon-sheet tent to organize this Baptist church, led by the Rev. J. R. Miller and meeting monthly in the Gomez schoolhouse. A one-room sanctuary built in 1909 was later moved when the town of Gomez itself was relocated for highway construction, and a larger church rose in 1936. The congregation gained its first full-time pastor by 1942 but was disbanded in 1992, its fortunes tied to the fading town of Gomez.
Why it matters
The church's rise and dissolution trace the life cycle of a small West Texas town, from tent-meeting optimism to the quiet disappearance of a frontier community.
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Related people
- · J. R. Miller
Themes & tags
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