Naruna Baptist Church
Burnet, Burnet County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Naruna Baptist Church Settlers came to the Naruna area as early as the 1840s, and the town was named by its first postmaster, William M. Spitler, who came to Texas on the riverboat Naruna. Residents formed Providence Baptist Church in July 1877 under the leadership of Ira Reese. The congregation called its first minister in 1878 and later became part of Austin Baptist Association. Members held baptisms in Deer Creek and built a sanctuary in the early 1890s, sharing space with local Masons. The congregation changed its name to Naruna Baptist Church in 1932. Local population declined after the railroad bypassed the town, but the church continues to serve members through worship and charity work. (2003)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Settlers reached the Naruna area as early as the 1840s, and the town took its name from the riverboat that carried its first postmaster to Texas. In 1877 residents organized Providence Baptist Church under Ira Reese, holding baptisms in Deer Creek and later sharing a sanctuary with local Masons. Renamed Naruna Baptist Church in 1932, it endured even after the railroad bypassed the town and thinned its population.
Why it matters
It shows how a country church could outlast the very town around it once the railroad chose another route.
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Related people
- · William M. Spitler
- · Ira Reese
Themes & tags
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