Old First Orange Baptist Church
Old First Orange Baptist Church was organized on September 20, 1857, and is the earliest known religious establishment in Orange County. Charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Hollingsworth, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Finch, Mr. and Mrs. Fietus Finch, Josh Harmon, Aion Ashworth, Henry Humble and F.A. Burton. David D. Foreman (Forman) of the Louisiana Baptist Association helped with the organization and served as the congregation's first pastor. The church originally met at a small schoolhouse located near 37th and South Streets, but an 1865 hurricane destroyed the structure. F.A. Burton helped direct construction of a new sanctuary, among a grove of sweet gum trees near what later became U.S. Highway 90. This structure was torn down and reconstructed at the church's present site circa 1892, when an acre of land was deeded to the church by Joshua Cole.
F.A. Burton was a member of the congregation from its inception until his death in 1925, a total of sixty-eight years. Records show that he served as pastor 1869-1871 and again from 1880 until 1887.
Additional acreage was added to the church property through the years. And structures on the site have been added and modified. In September of 2005 Hurricane Rita swept through the area, and for the second time in its existence, the congregation lost its sanctuary to a hurricane. Another structure,
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Mission and community outreach projects are important to the church, including the construction of churches in seventeen states, and the repair of area homes after hurricanes.
Marker is property of the State of Texas
Erected 2008 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 15041.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. A significant historical date for this entry is September 20, 1857.
Location. 30° 7.032′ N, 93° 49.635′ W. Marker is in Orange, Texas, in Orange County. Marker is at the intersection of Old Highway 90 and Service Road on Old Highway 90. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7925 IH-10 East, Orange TX 77630, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Site Of World War II P.O.W. Camp (approx. 1.7 miles away); Absalom Jett (approx. 2.3 miles away); Peyton Bland (approx. 2.8 miles away); Winfree Baptist Church (approx. 3.6 miles away); Cow Bayou Swing Bridge (approx. 5.1 miles away); First National Bank of Orange (approx. 5.1 miles away); St. Paul's Episcopal Church (approx. 5.1 miles away); Orange Southern Pacific Depot (approx. 5.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Orange.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2021, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 268 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 30, 2021, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. 3. submitted on January 20, 2022, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.
