Calvary Baptist Church - Spokane, WA - Baptist Churches on Waymarking.com

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Calvary Baptist Church - Spokane, WA

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Posted by:  T0SHEA

11T E 469361 N 5277890

This Baptist church is the home of the first African-American church in Spokane, and the second in the state of Washington.

Founded in 1890, Calvary Baptist Church was the first African-American church in Spokane, and is now the oldest in the state of Washington. It is a charter member of the NAACP. Calvary Baptist broke off from First Baptist Church on Lincoln Street and West 2nd Avenue. This was prior to the construction of the present First Baptist Church, which stands on the same location as did the first.

The new congregation of 7 men and women met for the first time on February 16, 1890. Between 1890 and 1919, the church met at 4th Avenue and Pine Street, then 168 South Howard Street, then 426 East Third Avenue, until they once again moved their building to this location at 213 East 3rd Avenue. The present building was built in 1927, was renovated in 1971-1972 and the Cathedral glass was installed from 1975 to 1978.

Calvary Baptist Church in Spokane, founded on February 16, 1890, is the oldest black church in the state of Washington.

The first edifice was located on the corner of Pines Street and Fourth Avenue, moved to 168 S. Howard St. in 1895, then to 426 E. Third Avenue in 1897, and finally to 213 E. Third Avenue in 1912. In 1948 a new parsonage was finished and dedicated. From 1890 to 1919 several pastors served Calvary. Then came a “dark” period when the church went for several years without a pastor. It was rejuvenated with the arrival of the Rev. Emmett B. Reed from Butte, Montana. He spearheaded a drive to build a new sanctuary for which ground was broken in 1927. Enduring the Great Depression, the church members managed to pay off a heavy debt. They celebrated by buying new pews for their church.
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