First Baptist Church of Montgomery, AL

Founded November 29, 1829, with four charter members. English-born Lee Compere, a missionary to the Creek Indians, was the first pastor. Services initially were held monthly in a building shared by other denominations. In 1833, the church constructed its own house of worship on North Court Street. The growing congregation built a two-story brick structure on the same site in 1854. In 1860, Basil Manly, former President of the University of Alabama, became pastor, delivering the invocation at Jefferson Davis' inauguration the next year. The church played a significant role in the development of the Southern Baptist Convention. Its rich history intertwines with the events of the Civil War and ensuing years.

This stone building, modeled after a cathedral in Florence, Italy, is the church's third home. Construction began in 1905 when Dr. Charles Stakely was pastor and proceeded as funds were available. Completed and dedicated on November 11, 1923, its total cost was $175,126.91. The church facilities frequently have been enlarged and modified to parallel the congregation's growth. For untold hundreds, this church has been the place of conversions, baptisms, marriages, funerals, and life-changing worship experiences with God. First Baptist has played an influential role in the historic, cultural, and religious life of Montgomery and the South.

Alabama Archives