Speegleville Baptist Church
Waco, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Founded in the home of early settler and community namesake Israel Washington Speegle, this historic congregation formally organized in 1850 as Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. It was renamed Speegleville Baptist Church after the members joined with Greenwood Baptist Church in 1883. Part-time pastors and dedicated lay members have led the congregation throughout its history. Sunday School, a summer revival with baptisms in Speegleville Creek, music, worship and community outreach are counted among the ministries and programs of the Speegleville church. The congregation has relocated over the years to accommodate the building and enlargement of Lake Waco. (2001)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born in the home of early settler Israel Washington Speegle, this congregation formally organized in 1850 as Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, taking the Speegleville name after merging with a neighboring church in 1883. Led largely by part-time pastors and lay members, it sustained Sunday School, summer creek-side baptisms, and community outreach across the generations. As Lake Waco was built and enlarged, the church relocated more than once to make way for the rising water.
Why it matters
It captures how a rural Texas faith community organized around a founding family and adapted, quite literally, to the reshaping of its landscape by twentieth-century water projects.
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Related people
- · Israel Washington Speegle
Themes & tags
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