What is now the First Baptist Church
was organized as a small rural church on August 3, 1872
under the name of the Eden Church with but nine members.
This church holds the record of having been the first
chartered religious body in Pittsburg with the original
charter being dated August 3, 1875. The first building
erected by the church was a small brick structure north
of the old Central school between Fifth and Sixth Streets
on the west side of Walnut. The building was sold to
the German Methodist denomination in 1892. Afterward,
for a time, the congregation met in rooms of the YMCA.
In 1903 the present lot of Seventh and Walnut was bought.
Miss Edith Hill, sent her by the Kansas State Convention,
conducted a revival for five weeks and gained 100 conversions.
Miss Hill later accepted a call to the church providing
she could be ordained and on Friday, April 13, 1894, she
was ordained in a ceremony in the First Christian Church
building. This made her the second woman in the world to
be ordained a minister in the Baptist faith. During her
pastorate the name of was changed from Eden to the First
Missionary Baptist Church of Pittsburg. Work was started
on the first building at Seventh and Walnut in 1895 and
completed March 30, 1896. Dedication services were conducted
by Miss Jessie Ackerman of Chicago. Shortly thereafter
Miss Hill left to resume her work in the temperance field.
Rev. Edith Hill returned to the local church as Mrs. Edith
Hill-Booker in 1900 and served three years when ill health
forced her retirement. After her retirement, G. W. Trout
took over the pastorate in June 1903. Rev. Trout, better
known as Dean Trout, resigned in 1907 to join the faculty
at the College (now Pittsburg State University).
The church edifice was remodeled and enlarged in 1907.
In 1924 the church building was completely remodeled inside
and out and the present brick and stone structure is the
result. The building was completed and dedicated November
9, 1924. Cost of the remodeling was $24,000. In December
1952 a drive to raise $90,000 for an educational building
on the lot east of the church was started. Construction
was started after ground breaking ceremonies in 1957 with
dedicatory services August 4, 1957. The education building
has 4,800 square feet of floor space.
"Pittsburg Almanac 1876-1976", p. 89 |
