First Baptist Church of Gilmer
First congregation was organized in a log cabin in 1846 as the Gilmer Missionary Baptist Church of Christ. In 1854 the congregation consisted of 22 members and the Rev. J. M. Griffin served as pastor. Church membership grew to 100 in 1869 and in the early 1870s the first church building was erected about one block north of this site. Walter Grimmer organized the first Sunday School in 1878. A Ladies Aid Society was organized in 1895 and in 1896 a new brick sanctuary was erected. The first full-time pastor, the Rev. J. L. Mahan, was called in 1904.
The congregation purchased land here in 1909 and in 1911 a new sanctuary containing their first baptistry was erected. That year the church, with a membership of 410, became a charter member of the Pittsburg Baptist Association. A parsonage was built here in 1918 and an education building in 1925. The church was renamed First Baptist Church of Gilmer in 1929.
Over the years the church has remodeled existing structures and added new buildings to its property to serve its growing congregation. The congregation has grown with the community and continues to support missionary activities
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Erected 1995 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 11310.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1846.
Location. 32° 43.791′ N, 94° 56.787′ W. Marker is in Gilmer, Texas, in Upshur County. Marker is at the intersection of Buffalo Street and North Trinity Street on Buffalo Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 304 Buffalo Street, Gilmer TX 75644, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Upshur County Bell (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ragland Clinic-Hospital (about 500 feet away); The Looney School (about 600 feet away); Upshur County, C. S. A. / Emma Sampson Johnson (about 600 feet away); C.S.A. Leather Factories (about 700 feet away); First United Methodist Church of Gilmer (about 700 feet away); Cherokee Trace (about 700 feet away); Sam Houston Spoke Here (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gilmer.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 11, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 11, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 263 times since then and 78 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 11, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
