First Baptist Church
E. Oliver and N. Swenson, Stamford, TX<p>The First Baptist Church in Stamford is an important complex of structures with both architectural and historical significance. It is the religious home for one of the town's earliest and largest congregations and is also a good example of a large-scale, classically influenced church building.</p><p>The First Baptist Church was organized in Stamford in early 1900. Temporary facilities were used at first, then a small structure was built in late 1900 or 1901. By 1908 the congregation had grown and prospered enough to initiate a new structure. Ten leading members of the church each pledged $1,000 for construction, and work began in early 1908. The building was completed in 1909 and stood as one of the city's most elaborate and expensive structures. Twenty-six years later, in 1932, the overcrowded congregation once again decided to expand by constructing a two-story educational wing behind the main chapel, on the east side of the lot. This two-building complex served the needs of the congregation until the late 1950s. In 1960 a new educational wing was added to the south of the old main building, completing the present First Baptist Church complex.</p><p>The First Baptist complex has served as the spiritual home for a large part of Stamford's population for generations. It has been the focal point for one of the city's largest religious denominations and is a well-known local landmark.</p><p>Not only is this complex important historically, but it also has a great deal of architectural merit. It is a good example of the Classical influence which is rare in Stamford, particularly in large buildings. The use of this style with its classical features makes the main church building one of the most imposing structures in town. The 1932 educational building, which also has a hint of classical styling, adds to the mass and imposing nature of the complex.</p><p>The mildly altered structure, with its long history and landmark status, as well as its architectural merit, undoubtedly ranks as one of Stamford's most important cultural resources.</p>
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.