Historic Baptist Church - Norcorss,
Posted by: Lat34North
N 33° 56.585 W 084° 12.889
16S E 757415 N 3759340
Located at the church on West Peachtree St at Park Dr., Norcross Ga.
Waymark Code: WM4JAW
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 08/30/2008
Views: 34
Historic Baptist Church
Circa 1884
On May 17, 1872, seventeen people convened in the Community House on Church Street or “Holy Row,” now called Sunset Drive, in the fledgling town of Norcross, renamed First Baptist Church of Norcross in 1954. John J. Thrasher, Norcross’ founder, was among the founding members of this church. For several years, this church held services in the Community House, which was also used by the Methodist and Presbyterians until each denomination built its own church. In 1880, the Baptist church members began plans for a building and appointed a building committee, all of whom were women. Four additional women were selected in 1882 as the fund-raising committee. Once the committee had raised $1000, work began on the church building at this location. Although the exact completion date of the church is unknown, an 1884 Penney found in the church’s cornerstone has provided a clue to the year of completion. Several improvements were made to this building over the years, such as the installation of electric lights in 1908. Additions to the original church building are indicative of the church’s growing congregation, as three times it was expanded to include additional Sunday School classrooms, with the last addition being a brick building erected in 1957. In the early 1960, the church’s continued growth necessitated a move to a larger facility. Foe over 80 years this church served the members of First Baptist Church of Norcross, but on September 29, 1963, the congregation heard its last service in this building. First Baptist Church of Norcross moved to North Peachtree Street in October 1963.