Woodlawn Baptist Church
Woodlawn, Harrison County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized as Bethesda Baptist Church on July 21, 1850, with 13 charter members, most of whom had come from Mississippi or Alabama. Bethesda church building, erected in 1850, was moved in 1877 to a site donated by Capt. Henry L. Berry. For 95 years, until 1945, services were held only on the fourth Sunday of each month, sometimes furnishing an occasion for "dinner on the ground." In 1958, the congregation adopted its present name and completed this modern building on a site given by Mr. and Mrs. George C. Ives.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Organized in July 1850 as Bethesda Baptist Church by 13 charter members, most newly arrived from Mississippi or Alabama, the congregation raised its first building that same year and moved it in 1877 to land donated by Capt. Henry L. Berry. For 95 years services were held only on the fourth Sunday of each month, often paired with a beloved "dinner on the ground." In 1958 the congregation took the name Woodlawn Baptist Church and completed its present building.
Why it matters
The church records the migration of Deep South settlers into East Texas and the once-a-month rhythms of rural frontier worship that bound scattered communities together.
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Related people
- · Henry L. Berry
- · George C. Ives
Themes & tags
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