In October 1877, the Christian Index, an Atlanta Baptist newspaper, recounted the founding of what is today Kennesaw First Baptist Church. According to the paper, in 1874, our “community was largely composed of Universalists, and there were many professed…Infidels.” At the time, Downtown Kennesaw had no churches, with the nearest religious building being Shiloh Church northeast of town. A Baptist preacher was sent to the community and began building a congregation. In 1877, the church was organized with fourteen members. The congregation is believed to have met in a building called the Good Templars Hall.
In June 1878, Rev. John McMurray dedicated a new church building measuring 36 feet wide and 50 feet long, with a 16-foot ceiling. The June 20, 1878, Christian Index and South-Western Baptist said the building was “well ventilated, nicely carpeted and finished generally.” This building is believed to have been located at what is now the Southern Museum. To celebrate, the railroad offered discounted tickets to anyone attending the dedication. When the structure was dedicated, the congregation had a debt of $150. A speech by Col. J. R. Brown highlighted the debt, inspiring the community to pay it by the end of the day.
In the 1880s, Rev. J. S. Reynolds served as pastor. Reynolds was well-respected in the community and was elected mayor in 1891. Until recently, he was believed to have been the first mayor of Kennesaw. During this time, the church’s Sunday school was especially active.
In 1900, thanks to a gift from resident Major Hiram Butler, fourteen acres of land were purchased from Jane Shumway on Main Street, then known as Acworth Street. Mrs. Butler was a founding member of the church, and the Butlers’ home is now preserved at Smith-Gilbert Gardens. The land purchased from Shumway is still home to the church today. In 1901, the old church was dismantled, and some of its material was used in the new wooden church building. It was dedicated at the end of 1903.
In 1909, the church caused a small bit of local excitement thanks to the opening of a cemetery. Only one person was laid to rest on the property before a neighbor complained it was too close to his house. According to the January 28, 1910, Marietta Journal, the graveyard was “the paramount issue” in that year’s city council elections. The election results showed that the “people have expressed themselves as overwhelmingly opposed” to the cemetery.
In the early 1930s, the church had an active basketball team that played across the Atlanta area in the “Dixie League.” Their record, however, was not fantastic: in early 1932, they had won one game and lost seven, making them one of the league’s worst teams.
In 1930, the wooden church building was hit by strong winds, causing it to lean. In 1952, a new brick building was announced for the church. It opened in May of that year and seated about 300 people. Over the next decade, more land would be purchased, leading to the dedication of an annex in 1960.
In 1969, a groundbreaking was held for a new sanctuary. It is the oldest portion of the church still standing. It is the large triangular part of the building, next to the parking lot, where Lewis Street meets Main Street. To celebrate the church’s centennial, a church bell believed to date back to 1878 was placed outside the sanctuary in 1977. It is dedicated to the memory of Wayne Leonard, a local soldier killed in the Korean War. The education building was dedicated in 1987. A children’s wing was built in 1991, and in recent years, a Gathering Center has been added.
Started as the Kennesaw Baptist Church, the congregation eventually changed names to the First Baptist Church of Kennesaw, and finally the Kennesaw First Baptist Church. As the oldest congregation in Downtown Kennesaw, it has a fascinating story spanning generations.
As the oldest congregation in Downtown Kennesaw, it has a fascinating story spanning generations.