Living testimonies

OUR TOWN 2020 | www.columbiatribune.com | 13

Calvary Episcopal Church [PHOTOS BY ANNA BRUGMANN]

Living testimonies

Downtown churches offer history, architecture lessons

BY ANNA BRUGMANN Columbia Daily Tribune

Nestled between downtown housing developments, Columbia’s historic churches still sit, if maybe a little quieter than usual. Their doors might be closed or

capacities limited in light of pandemic-related precautions, but that shouldn’t stop residents from getting to know some of downtown Columbia’s longest-standing structures.

Whether you're looking for a new church home or trying to get to know The District, a walking tour of our city’s downtown historic churches is the perfect activity for a late-summer evening.

���� of our �ro�ts hel� �eo�le esca�e �o�erty in �olumbia, ��*

A charming thrift store selling gently-used furniture, housewares, home decor, clothing, collectibles and much more!

19 Business Loop 70 East, Columbia, MO 65203 • 573-447-SEAT (7328) • *columbialoveseat.org • Mon-Fri: 10 am- 5pm, Sat: 9 am-4 pm, Sun: Closed

14 | www.columbiatribune.com | OUR TOWN 2020

An architectural detail above the entrance to Second Baptist Church.

Second Missionary Baptist 407 E. Broadway

Heading west on Broadway, Second Missionary Baptist Church welcomes Columbia residents and visitors to downtown. The Romanesque Revival building was completed in 1894; however members of the church had been meeting since 1865. The congregation from which Second Missionary Baptist finds its roots was formed after slavery was abolished. First Baptist Church, which was at the time located on the courthouse square, allowed enslaved people to sit in on Sunday services. However, after emancipation, Black community members sought to form a congregation of their own. The church went through many iterations, ultimately culminating in its current location next to the historic Blind Boone Home on the corner of Broadway and Fourth Street.

Although the church has suspended many of its usual services, according to its website, it has been hosting some outdoor worship events. Stay tuned on its Facebook page for updates on upcoming services.

First Christian Church 101 N. 10th St.

The First Christian Church building at the intersection of 10th and Walnut is another example of the Romanesque Revival in downtown Columbia. The current building, completed in 1861, was actually the second building after the congregation outgrew a structure built in 1832. The first church was a one-story brick structure on 7th Street. Some of the bricks from the original structure were used to create the placard that sits on the 10th Street side of the current building. Although the date of the church’s first meeting is unknown, it was officially organized in 1832.

As of July, First Christian Church was still meeting virtually. Visitors can tune into the church’s YouTube channel for weekly services and its website, firstchristian.org, for updates on future in-person worship services.

First Baptist Church 1112 E. Broadway

With one of downtown’s most visible steeples, First Baptist Church sits at the top of Broadway on the eastern end of downtown. The church was the first congregation in Columbia when it was organized in 1823. The congregation met in private homes, the Boone County Courthouse and a building on the courthouse square before moving to its current location. First, a Neo-Gothic Victorian building was built on the land. However, when the congregation outgrew the original structure, the current Colonial Revival building was constructed in 1957.

First Baptist Church as been offering online service options since March, but will be introducing an outdoor worship option 9:15 a.m. Aug. 9. For more information on its Sunday morning webcast, visit the church’s website at fbc-columbia.org.

OUR TOWN 2020 | www.columbiatribune.com | 15

Calvary Episcopal Church 123 S. Ninth St.

Calvary Episcopal Church finds its beginnings in 1955 when 10 Columbia residents petitioned the Episcopal Diocese to create a branch of the church in Columbia. The congregation met in private homes, the courthouse or other Columbia churches until it could build its own building in 1872 on Broadway between 5th and 6th Street. The building had to be repaired after a fire destroyed the church offices on Easter morning in 1898. The current building was finished in 1899 and designed by Mary Louise Hale. She managed to incorporate pieces of the original building including bell, memorial windows, brass alter railing and other church fixtures.

The church will remain closed until at least September 1, according to its website, but visitors are encouraged to participate in its online services. Services are made available on its YouTube channel.

First Christian Church

Sacred Heart Catholic Church 105 Waugh St.

Mass was held in Columbia as early as 1835, but it would be until between 1876 and 1877 that mass was held more regularly. Catholic worshipers met at the Boone County Courthouse until the 1880s when Sacred Heart Church on Waugh Street was dedicated. A larger church was completed on the original plot in 1914.

In-person mass has resumed at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. For more information on precautions, visit sacredheart-church.org.

A window faces out from Calvary Episcopal Church.

First Baptist Church