First Baptist Church (Richmond, Virginia)

First Baptist Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Virginia Landmarks Register
Old First Baptist Church, December 2011
Location	NW corner of 12th and E. Broad Sts., Richmond, Virginia
Coordinates	37°32′22″N 77°25′53″W
Area	0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built	1839-1841
Architect	Walter, Thomas U.
Architectural style	Greek Revival
NRHP reference No.	69000349
VLR No.	127-0168
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	April 16, 1969
Designated VLR	November 5, 1968

First Baptist Church is a historic Baptist church in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Established in 1780, the church is located on the corner of Monument Avenue and Arthur Ashe Boulevard. As of 2024 the senior minister is the Rev. Dr. Jim Somerville, former pastor of the First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C. Its historic building at 12th and East Broad streets is the home of Virginia Commonwealth University's Hunton Student Center.

History

The First Baptist Church was originally organized in June 1870 by 14 members under the leadership of its first pastor Joshua Morris as the Richmond Baptist Church. It was the first church to be organized in Richmond, and in a Virginia city. In the beginning the congregation worshiped and met in a private home. Their first baptist meeting house was constructed on lot 659 at the northeastern corner of Cary St., at 3rd St. In 1802 a new church building was constructed at E Broad St. at College St. The church moved from that location in 1841 to E Broad St. at 12th St. Their new building was designed by architect Thomas U. Walter. It is a stuccoed temple-form Greek Revival style building with the two fluted Doric order columns of its portico in antis. During the American Civil War the church building served as an emergency hospital for Confederate Army soldiers. In 1938, the congregation sold the church to the Medical College of Virginia. Also in 1841, a group of members formed the First African Baptist Church. The original First Baptist Church had a mixed congregation. In 1841 they separated. The First African Baptist Church occupied and purchased the original church building at E Broad St. and 14th St. (now College St.). This building was torn down in 1876 and replaced with the one that stands in that location today.

Basil Manly Jr. was the pastor from 1850 to 1854.

Modern use

The Medical College of Virginia acquired the building in 1938, and it became the institution's first student center. In 1989, the building, then part of Virginia Commonwealth University, was named Hunton Hall for Eppa Hunton Jr. and Eppa Hunton IV. It was renovated from 2005 to 2007.

Further reading

• The first century of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia. 1780-1880, Richmond: McCarthy, 1880, OL 23299739M

External links

• Official website