Macedonia Baptist Church
Posted by: Rayman
N 42° 53.174 W 078° 52.049
17T E 674141 N 4750387
This church housed the first Black congregation of any denomination in the City of Buffalo and was also a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Waymark Code: WMERA
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 06/12/2006
Views: 17
Elisha Tucker, a prominent member of the First Baptist Church, initially conceived the idea of organizing a Baptist congregation for Blacks in 1836. One year later, 13 members of that congregation were given letters of dismissal and set upon building a congregation of their own. In doing so, they organized the first Black church of any denomination in the city. With meager finances, the congregation worshipped for their first seven years in a rented room above an undertaker on Eagle at Niagara.
In the early 1840s, under the pastorship of Rev. Sharpe, they first made plans for the construction of a fitting house of worship. They purchased the site on Michigan Street but with no money available to construct a church, Rev. Sharpe traveled to England hoping to raise the much needed funds, finding little success during his travels.
By 1844, under the fifth pastor, Rev. Samuel Davis, enough money had been raised and the congregation began building their house of worship. A mason by trade, Rev. Davis performed the majority of the construction work himself. In June of 1845, the cornerstone of the church was placed after which he spent approximately half of his time building the church and the other half administering to the needs of the congregation. Four years later, the building was ready for worship.
The congregation flourished until the California Gold Rush of 1849. At that time, many of the prominent members left to seek their fortunes. The congregation remained positive and later, the building served as a stop on the Underground Railroad in the years prior to the Civil War. Fugitive slaves were hidden in the basement of the church before being ferried across the Niagara River to Canada in the darkness of night.
The congregation celebrated their final services in their churchon 24 February, 1962. The following week, they began holding regular services in the former Humboldt Parkway Methodist Church.
Throughout the years, the building has always been the home of a Baptist congregation.
Street address: 511 Michigan Ave Buffalo, NY United States 14203
County / Borough / Parish: Erie
Year listed: 1974
Historic (Areas of) Significance: First African-American church in Buffalo.
Periods of significance: 1849-1962
Historic function: Church
Current function: Church
Privately owned?: yes
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Primary Web Site: Not listed
Secondary Website 1: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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