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[photo]
First Baptist Church

Photo courtesy of Uptown Shelby Association

During the second decade of the 20th century, Shelbians constructed or remodeled several notable commercial and institutional buildings, including the First Baptist Church. Shelby's Baptists first organized a church with 25 members on June 19, 1847. The church declined an offer of land from the county and instead paid $300 for the 130 foot square plot of land on North Lafayette Street on which the present sanctuary stands today. A white frame church was constructed shortly thereafter, the first at this site. The Baptists became the largest and most influential denomination in Shelby as the 19th century progressed. Reverend James Webb, of Shelby's influential Webb family, was a leading Baptist minister of the time and became the first pastor. Shelby's early families--the Loves, Blantons, Webbs and Garders--were all members of the congregation. In 1889, a brick church replaced the originial building. However, the congregation quickly became dissatisfied with its poor construction. In April 1904, an additional lot was purchased and the first of several additions were added.

[photo] First Baptist Church
Photo courtesy of Uptown Shelby Association

The 1911 Gothic Revival church, with several later Art Deco additions, is the third Baptist church at this site, and was designed by the Charlotte, North Carolina, architectural firm of Wheeler and Stern. It is considered the most elaborate church in Shelby. The use of yellow brick for the church was a major departure from the red brick prevalent since the 1880s for most of Shelby's commercial and industrial buildings. Its Tiffany stained glass windows were bought for $1,300 from George Hardy Payned of Petterson, New Jersey. The church's three steeples rising from finial-topped towers are prominent architectural features of the building. A parsonage was constructed at 405 West Marion Street in 1924 and sold in 1968. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 1929, the educational building on Lafayette Street was dedicated. The Webb Chapel and adjoining educational buildings were dedicated on October 25, 1953.

The First Baptist Church is located at 120 N. Lafayette St. in the Central Shelby Historic District. Church services are held Sundays at 11:00am and 6:00pm, and Sunday school begins at 9:45am. Call 704-482-3467 for further information.

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