Mt. Canaan Baptist Church - Paris, TX - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

Besides web-spidered listings and occasional mentions in obituaries, the church doesn't have any significant Internet presence. A 2015 Texas Historical Marker provides some background:

Following Emancipation, several Paris black free men and women formed informal congregations to practice their new spiritual rights. These former slaves found Baptist theology, with its egalitarian notion of redemption and informal nature of worship, especially appealing.

Mt. Canaan Baptist Church originated in temporary prayer gatherings held in the African American community at the area of Chisum's Ranch, a neighborhood in northwest Paris. When the homes were demolished to make way for a new railroad, the displaced residents settled in southern Paris next to the cottonseed oil mill, compress, and cotton processing plants. This new African American neighborhood, called the TP community because of its proximity to the Texas & Pacific Railroad, was where Rev. Sam McCarley formally established Mt. Canaan Baptist Church in 1886. The railroad and the booming cotton industry employed many blacks in the area. Worship services were held in members' houses until the current church was built in 1900 under the leadership of Rev. J.B. Adkins. Mt. Canaan catered to the marginalized African Americans of the TP community, including mill workers, cotton ginners, and teachers at nearby Bankhead Elementary School, the only school in Paris for African American students. In 1939, the congregation purchased more land and remodeled the church. More renovations followed in 1970, including a baptism annex, cement steps, and a back porch. Despite these additions, the building itself remains largely unchanged. Mt. Canaan Baptist Church continues to serve its historic community.

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1900 Age of Church building determined by?: Cornerstone or plaque If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Baptist If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Sunday Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: 11:00 AM Street address of Church: 60 Sycamore St Paris, TX USA 75460 If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/29/2019 WalksfarTX visited it