10 in '10 : #8 - First Baptist Church of Austin

Photo credits: Grace Cynkar
First Baptist Church of Austin
Architect: Barnes, Landes, Goodman, Youngblood; Page, Sutherland, Page (1970)
Contractor: Ricks Construction Company
901 Trinity Street, 78701

The First Baptist Church of Austin is extremely significant for the history of it's congregation and it's status as a work of the firm, Barnes, Landes, Goodman, and Youngblood. The congregation was purportedly founded by Sam Houston after selecting the location of the capitol. The first services were held in July of 1847 in the capitol itself. Shortly thereafter, services were moved to a house on 12th and Lavaca. By 1856, the congregation had grown large enough to merit it's own church and construction was begun. The original structure was a two-story stone building with a flat roof and large square windows. In 1880 the church was made to appear more gothic by heightening the grade of the roof and replacing the square windows with pointed-arch windows. In 1915 this original church was demolished to make way for a larger brick building which was in turn torn down when the church moved to the current location in 1970. The current structure was designed by both Barnes, Landes, Goodman, and Youngblood, and Page, Sutherland, Page. Three of the members from BLGY and one of the Page's were members of the congregation. The building received an award from the Austin AIA Chapter. It is significant as the work of BLGY, a firm responsible for the designs of several other mid-century modern churches in Austin.
Text: Grace Cynkar Edited by: Ken J.