PEERING INTO JACKSON'S PAST

This photograph of the First Baptist Church was taken in 1918 and shows the Jackson Masonic Hall at far left. Both structures were damaged five years later when a violent windstorm struck the city. The church building suffered sufficient damage to require its replacement. The structure which replaced the windstorm damaged one was recently torn down to make way for the new First Baptist Church education building.

Charles Ford of Jackson recently contributed two photos showing the building which housed Jackson's First Baptist Church from 1901 until the spring of 1923.

According to a narrative provided by Ford, the construction of a new building, or the remodeling of the existing one built in 1857, was first discussed in 1895, although nothing was done until 1897. It was in that year that about $2,000 in donations were collected from members of the congregation.

However, writes Ford, congregation member H.H.M. Williams, remembering the struggle of the congregation in paying for the construction of the first church in 1857, lobbied and gained approval for a rule that donations not be used for any construction until their total reached $3,000.

Through the efforts of several church members, including J.C. Clippard, Edward F. Jenkins, Florence Francis and Olive Wigginton, the $3,000 mark was finally reached in April of 1899.

Construction was begun on the building, located on High Street at what is now the site of the education building of the current First Baptist Church, and the building was dedicated in 1901.

This church building, with its numerous stained glass windows, continued to be the home of First Baptist until March 11, 1923, when a violent windstorm struck the uptown area and caused extensive damage to numerous buildings including the church.

The congregation then elected to construct a new church which stood until recently, when it was torn down to make way for the new First Baptist Church education building.