First Baptist Church (Columbia, South Carolina)

Infobox_nrhp | name =First Baptist Church
nrhp_type = nhl

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caption = HABS, 1960
location= 1306 Hampton St., Columbia, South Carolina
lat_degrees = 34
lat_minutes = 0
lat_seconds = 19.97
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 81
long_minutes = 2
long_seconds = 0.03
long_direction = W
locmapin = South Carolina
area =
built =1856
architect= Unknown
architecture= Greek Revival
designated= November 7 1973cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1153&ResourceType=Building
title=First Baptist Church |accessdate=2008-03-03|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = January 25, 1971cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = Private
refnum=71000800The First Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina is a Greek Revival building built in 1856. A convention met here on December 17, 1860 which voted unanimously for South Carolina to secede from the United States, leading to the American Civil War.

History

The First Baptist Church of Columbia was first organized in 1809, with the building of the first church building, located on Sumter Street, in 1811. [ [http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2YYW First Baptist Church - South Carolina Historical Markers on Waymarking.com ] ]

The second and current First Baptist Church was built in 1859 by an unknown architect. Its construction was funded by James P. Boyce, a former president of the Southern Baptist Theological seminary. [Hemphill, James. "Men of Mark in South Carolina: Ideals of American Life" (Men of mark publishing company, 1907) pg.227]

The following year, in 1860, the Church was the site of the first state convention to discuss secession following the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States. It was chosen as it was the largest meeting place in Columbia. [ [http://www.fbccola.com/templates/_fbccolumbia/details.asp?id=36238&PID=412145&Style= Meet the Pastor ] ] Under the chairmanship of D. F. Jamison, a unanimous vote, 159-0, in favor of secession on December 17, 1860 led to South Carolina seceding from the United States; it would be the only such convention whose vote to secede was unanimous. Six other states would follow South Carolina's lead before the Battle of Fort Sumter; some felt if they did not now secede, they might lose the argument that a state had the right to secede; a right that has never been confirmed or denied by a court of law.citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/71000800.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: First Baptist Church] |32 KB|date=January 9, 1973 |author=Benjamin Levy |publisher=National Park Service and PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/71000800.pdf "Accompanying one photo, exterior, from 1972"] |32 KB]

This convention lasted only one day, as Columbia was currently experiencing an outbreak of smallpox. South Carolina's Order of Secession would not be signed until the delegates at this convention reconvened at Charleston, South Carolina on December 20; Columbia's little First Baptist Church was where the power brokers of South Carolina first declared that the state would secede.

When the Northern Army invaded Columbia, they set fire the original First Baptist Church building, thinking it was the site of secession convention. The invaders were commit arson on a third of Columbia's buildings, but the actual First Baptist Church was spared. [ [http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2YYW First Baptist Church - South Carolina Historical Markers on Waymarking.com ] ]

It is currently an active church, and for fifty years has televised its services. [ [http://www.fbccola.com/templates/_fbccolumbia/details.asp?id=36238&PID=412145&Style= Meet the Pastor ] ]

Building description

The First Baptist Church is built in Greek Revival style. Originally, the building was convert|56|ft|m wide and convert|84|ft|m long. It has molded brick Tuscan portico and Tuscan pilasters along the sides. There is a balcony on each side and above the entrance. Around 1900 the bricks were painted a dirty brown. In 1941 the church was given air conditioning and was extended convert|35|ft|m, with its rear wall moved, giving a place for the choir and a baptistery. In 1949 fifteen foot side aisles were placed, with steel columns made in Doric style to reinforced and match the old architecture. It was also in 1949 that the dirty brown paint of the brick walls was removed, but in the process the walls were now ranging in color from dark pink to light tan.cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/richland/S10817740009/index.htm
title=First Baptist Church |accessdate=2008-03-03|work=National Register Properties in South Carolina listing|publisher=South Carolina Department of Archives and History]

The original (1859) church was convert|84|ft|m deep by convert|56|ft|m wide.cite web|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=pphhdatapage&fileName=sc/sc0000/sc0069/data/hhdatapage.db&recNum=1&itemLink=h?pp/hh:@field(NUMBER+@band(sc0069))
title=First Baptist Church |author=Walter F. Petty |date=December, 1961 |accessdate=2008-03-05|work=Historic American Building Survey report|publisher=National Park Service]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, and became a National Historic Landmark in 1973.

References

External links

* [http://www.fbccola.com/templates/_fbccolumbia/default.asp?id=36238 First Baptist Church, Columbia, SC (official site)]
* [http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/richland/S10817740009/index.htm First Baptist Church, Richland County (1306 Hampton St., Columbia)] , at South Carolina Department of Archives and History
* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.sc0069 First Baptist Church, Hampton Street, Columbia, Richland County, SC: 6 photos] , at Historic American Building Survey.