Bethany Baptist Church (Newark, New Jersey)

Bethany Baptist Church
Location 117 W. Market Street, Newark, New Jersey
Coordinates 40°44′25″N 74°11′1″W / 40.74028°N 74.18361°W / 40.74028; -74.18361Coordinates: 40°44′25″N 74°11′1″W / 40.74028°N 74.18361°W / 40.74028; -74.18361
Area 0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
Built 1866
Architectural style Romanesque
NRHP Reference # 88000466[1]
NJRHP # [2]
Added to NRHP May 10, 1989

Bethany Baptist Church was a historic church at 117 W. Market Street in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The current pastor is the Reverend Dr. M. William Howard, Jr.

The church traces its origins to 1870, when a group of African Americans established the church on Broad Street in Newark, in the building of the Peddie Memorial Baptist Church. Under the leadership of the Reverend Ebenezer Bird, who had come from Virginia to lead the congregation of about 26 members, the group was officially sanctioned as a church by the Council of Baptist Churches in June 1871. Thus, the church prides itself as being the "first Baptist congregation founded by people of African descent."[3]

The Romanesque style church building was constructed in 1866. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.[1]

The church was under the stewardship of M. William Howard, Jr.. from 2000-2015.[4]

The old building appears to have been replaced by a housing complex,[5] and has been replaced by a new building at 275 W. Market Street. The new building was dedicated on May 2, 1976.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Essex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. April 1, 2010. p. 5. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  3. "Our History . . . . .". Bethany Baptist Church. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  4. http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/01/newark_pastor_leaves_church_with_legacy_of_social.html#incart_river_home
  5. Google Streetview of 117 W. Market
  6. "History". Bethany Baptist Church. Retrieved 19 April 2016.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/27/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.