Bagdad in Santa Rosa County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Bagdad United Methodist Church
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, August 24, 2019
1. Bagdad United Methodist Church Marker
Inscription.
Bagdad United Methodist Church. . The First United Methodist Church of Bagdad traces its roots to a brush arbor in 1830. Dr. John Wesley Talley, a former missionary to the Choctaws, delivered the first sermons beside the Blackwater River and earned a $13 salary that first year. In 1837, the congregation erected a small wooden church building at the site, but it was destroyed by fire in the early 1880s. Construction of a new sanctuary began in 1885 on property provided by members W.H. Sindorf, H.W. Thompson, and W.A. Watson, who were partners in the Bagdad Sash and Blind Factory. The Rev. E.E. Cowan conducted the first worship service in the unfinished building that same year. Charles H. Overman drew the architectural design for the new church, and A.J. Brown led the construction. Brown later became the first Sunday School Superintendent. Built with choice lumber from the Bagdad mills, the church's shiplap siding was attached with square-cut nails. With funds raised by the Ladies Aid Society, electricity was added in 1909. The church bell was replaced in 1912, after a lightning strike. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 as a contributing building in the Bagdad Village Historic District.
The First United Methodist Church of Bagdad traces its roots to a brush arbor in 1830. Dr. John Wesley Talley, a former missionary to the Choctaws, delivered the first sermons beside the Blackwater River and earned a $13 salary that first year. In 1837, the congregation erected a small wooden church building at the site, but it was destroyed by fire in the early 1880s. Construction of a new sanctuary began in 1885 on property provided by members W.H. Sindorf, H.W. Thompson, and W.A. Watson, who were partners in the Bagdad Sash and Blind Factory. The Rev. E.E. Cowan conducted the first worship service in the unfinished building that same year. Charles H. Overman drew the architectural design for the new church, and A.J. Brown led the construction. Brown later became the first Sunday School Superintendent. Built with choice lumber from the Bagdad mills, the church's shiplap siding was attached with square-cut nails. With funds raised by the Ladies Aid Society, electricity was added in 1909. The church bell was replaced in 1912, after a lightning strike. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 as a contributing building in the Bagdad Village Historic District.
Erected 2018 by Bagdad United Methodist Church, and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-1034.)
Location. 30° 35.985′ N, 87° 1.894′ W. Marker is in Bagdad, Florida, in Santa Rosa County. Marker is at the intersection of Forsyth Street (County Route 191) and Overman Street, on the right when traveling north on Forsyth Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4540 Forsyth Street, Bagdad FL 32530, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 12, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 11, 2020, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 421 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 11, 2020, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
