Watkins Park in Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Spruce Street Baptist Church

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, November 11, 2022

1. Spruce Street Baptist Church Marker

Inscription. Spruce Street Baptist Church was originally a part of the First Colored Baptist Church, founded in 1848 as a "mission” of the First Baptist Church. Nashville's first black ordained minister, the Rev. Nelson G. Merry, served as pastor. In 1865, the church formally gained its autonomy from the white church. Spruce Street Baptist Church in 1895 became the second branch of the city's first black Baptist church to organize a separate assembly. Formerly located near Capitol Hill, under Pastor Dr. A.M. Townsend, the first alumnus of Meharry Medical College to serve on its board of trustees, in 1955 the church body moved into this edifice designed by the architectural firm of McKissack and McKissack.

Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 3A 174.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1848.

Location. 36° 9.474′ N, 86° 48.256′ W. Marker is in Nashville, Tennessee, in Davidson County.

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It is in Watkins Park. It is at the intersection of Spruce Street and Pearl Street, on the right when traveling north on Spruce Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 504 Spruce St, Nashville TN 37203, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: John Robert Lee Bradley (a few steps from this marker); Nashville Porter and Ale Brewery (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Blue Triangle YWCA (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pearl High School (approx. 0.3 miles away); William Edmondson (approx. 0.4 miles away); Coach Cornelius Ridley (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Fisk Jubliee Singers (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Alfred Stieglitz Collection at Fisk University

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 28, 2020

2. Spruce Street Baptist Church Marker

(approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nashville.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 28, 2020

3. Spruce Street Baptist Church Marker

Reverse side

Spruce Street Baptist Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 28, 2020

4. Spruce Street Baptist Church

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 1, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,146 times since then and 62 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 11, 2022, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 1, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.