Pruitt Baptist Church and Pruitt Community
Pruitt, Van Zandt County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Named for Adelia Pruitt, the first postmistress, the town of Pruitt began in the 1880s. It included a cotton gin, blacksmith shop, general store, barber shop, Woodmen of the World lodge, drug store, school, Methodist church, and congregational church. The Pruitt Baptist Church was organized in 1896 by Malinda Ashworth and E. R. Crocker. In 1912 a church building was erected for the Baptist congregation one mile west of this site. The sanctuary was moved in 1947 and replaced with a new structure in 1962. Many additions have been made to the building. The church continues to serve the area. (1996)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The town of Pruitt began in the 1880s, named for its first postmistress Adelia Pruitt, and grew to include a cotton gin, general store, school, and several churches. In 1896 Malinda Ashworth and E. R. Crocker organized the Pruitt Baptist Church, which built its first sanctuary in 1912. Rebuilt and expanded over the decades, the congregation still serves the community.
Why it matters
The church and its village illustrate how faith congregations became the enduring heart of small East Texas farming communities.
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Related people
- · Adelia Pruitt
- · Malinda Ashworth
Themes & tags
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