Stevensville in Ravalli County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
First Baptist Church
Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, May 11, 2018
1. First Baptist Church Marker
Inscription.
First Baptist Church. . The Stevensville Baptist congregation first organized as the Etna Baptist Church of Christ at the nearby Etna schoolhouse in 1882. In 1884, the growing membership purchased land in Stevensville and hired talented Missoula architect Thomas W. Longstaff to draw the plans for a church. The building, completed in 1886 at a cost of $2,904.39, is an excellent example of architect Longstaffs adaptation of the Stick Style. Clapboard siding with decorative vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accents characterize this style, uncommon in Montana. The angles created through external ornamentation are intended to mimic the buildings structural skeleton. The classical symmetry of the floor plan and window placement, lavish Queen Anne style details including fish-scale shingling and beautiful stained glass, and the stick ornamentation blend to produce a statement of surprising elegance for a modest rural church. By 1887, all building expenses had been paid and the congregation had bought an organ. The church included Sunday school and baptismal services in the Bitterroot River. The bell, purchased by the membership from Sears Roebuck for eight dollars, was installed in the square bell tower in 1901. This architectural landmark, important for its association with one of Montanas most respected architects, is equally significant for its long service as the religious and social center of the local Baptist community.
The Stevensville Baptist congregation first organized as the Etna Baptist Church of Christ at the nearby Etna schoolhouse in 1882. In 1884, the growing membership purchased land in Stevensville and hired talented Missoula architect Thomas W. Longstaff to draw the plans for a church. The building, completed in 1886 at a cost of $2,904.39, is an excellent example of architect Longstaffs adaptation of the Stick Style. Clapboard siding with decorative vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accents characterize this style, uncommon in Montana. The angles created through external ornamentation are intended to mimic the buildings structural skeleton. The classical symmetry of the floor plan and window placement, lavish Queen Anne style details including fish-scale shingling and beautiful stained glass, and the stick ornamentation blend to produce a statement of surprising elegance for a modest rural church. By 1887, all building expenses had been paid and the congregation had bought an organ. The church included Sunday school and baptismal services in the Bitterroot River. The bell, purchased by the membership from Sears Roebuck for eight dollars, was installed in the square bell tower in 1901. This architectural landmark, important for its association with one of Montanas most respected architects, is equally significant for its long service
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as the religious and social center of the local Baptist community.
Location. 46° 30.486′ N, 114° 5.538′ W. Marker is in Stevensville, Montana, in Ravalli County. It is on Church Street near East 4th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 402 Church Street, Stevensville MT 59870, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Western Montana, in Glacier Country, and in Greater Missoula. It is also in the American Mountain West and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2018. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 328 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 18, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
