Barberton in Norfolk, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
First Cavalry Baptist Church
has been registered as a
Virginia
Historic
Landmark
pursuant to the authority vested in the
Virginia Board of Historic Resources
This property has been
placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
October 15, 1987
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1915.
Location. 36° 51.407′ N, 76° 16.659′ W. Marker is in Norfolk, Virginia. It is in Barberton. It is at the intersection of Wide Street and Henry Street, on the right when traveling north on Wide Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 813 Henry St, Norfolk VA 23504, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, 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 original Thirteen Colonies, 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: Attucks Theater Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Attucks Theatre (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Attucks Theatre (about 300 feet away); Plummer Bernard Young Sr. (1884-1962) (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cedar Grove Cemetery (approx.
this page online
Also see . . .
1. National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for the Church. This form was prepared in 1978 by Richard C. Cote and Division of Historic Landmarks Staff in Virginia's Division of Historic Landmarks. A short statement of the church's significance can be found on page 4:
The First Calvary Baptist Church, Norfolk, is architecturally significant as one of Virginia's most important examples of Second Renaissance Revival-style architecture adapted for ecclesiastical use. Built in 1915-16 after the plans of the Norfolk architectural fir m of Mitchell and Wilcox, the church is noteworthy for its terra cotta ornamentation and stained-glass dome. The dome is, in fact, one of the largest found in an early 20th-century Virginia church. The First Calvary Baptist Church was erected for a black congregation of limited means who, through diligence and industry, managed to pay off the construction costs in two years. The church congregation has grown and prospered amidst Norfolk's large and active black Baptist community, which continues to regard the church as a major focal point(Submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)of black cultural and spiritual life in the city.
2. First Calvary Baptist Church. (Submitted on November 11, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
Photographed by Brandon D Cross
3. First Cavalry Baptist Church Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on November 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 137 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on November 11, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.
