First Baptist Church

Description:	The cornerstone of the First Baptist Church was laid on July 23, 1860 at the southwest corner of Lexington Ave. (formerly Pigeon St.) and Third Street. Until 1875 when the church built its baptistry, the baptisms were conducted in the river at the foot of the Lexington Street bridge. Candidates for baptism were given the option of choosing the location. By 18991 the wood stoves and oil lights were replaced by a furnace and gas lights. The building was raised in 1912 so that a basement could be added. That same year property was acquired west of the church in order to build a Sunday school annex and a parsonage. In 1957, the First Baptist Church relocated to Prairie Street and Hively Avenue. This building was then occupied by the Calvary Assembly of God. The site was still owned by the Calvary Assembly after the congregation moved to a new building on Mishawaka Road near Pleasant Plain. This was said to have been the oldest church structure in the city of Elkhart in 1977 when it was razed; now it is a parking lot.
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isl4/id/419
Collection:	Elkhart Public Library
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/;
Copyright:	No Copyright - United States;
Subjects:	Elkhart County (Ind.) Historic buildings Churches

Further information on this record can be found at its source.