Monday, September 12, 2011

☞ REMEMBER: The First Baptist Church c. 1870


A photo of the meeting house of the First Baptist Church at 127th Street and Fifth Avenue taken in 1870 provides a glimpse of the rural neighborhood before some of the prewar dwellings arrived in the area. The lower photo shows the Mount Moriah Baptist Church which apparently was called Mount Morris Baptist when it was first built in 1888.  Archival resources mentioned that the Mount Morris Church was built on a site owned by the First Baptist Church so we are assuming that they are one in the same for location.

Meeting of First Baptist Church of Harlem, ca. 1870 via the digital collection at the Museum of the City of New York
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4 comments:

  1. GregSeptember 12, 2011 at 8:14 PM

    One wonders what became of the original edifice. It certainly looks as though it could have weathered time.

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  2. GregSeptember 12, 2011 at 8:16 PM

    One also wonders considering the low gate surrounding all the structures, which one of those houses on either side of the church is the parsonage? Do they both belong to the church. Perhaps one is the community center, if churches had such things then.

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  3. DSeptember 13, 2011 at 10:31 AM

    There was filming going on in that church about a month or two ago. But now the church is currently up for sale...wonder what will become of it...

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  4. Jonathan GillSeptember 13, 2011 at 11:05 AM

    Anyone up for some more detail?

    The First Baptist Church of Harlem pictured above went up in 1854 at 2050 Fifth Avenue. It burned down in 1873 and was rebuilt and later renamed Mount Morris Baptist Church, and it eventually became Mount Moriah Baptist Church.

    Of course the First Baptist Church of Harlem congregation (as opposed to the building) was founded much earlier. One highlight (good or bad--you decide) of its early years: In 1843, the church, which was whites-only, founded the Bethel Chapel for blacks at East 121st Street between First and Second Avenues.

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