Damascus Missionary Baptist Church

Duane's take

Now, the way the historical marker tells it, here's the story of Damascus Missionary Baptist Church. Way back in 1863, this congregation first came together, organized right there in Polk County. The first pastor was Brother J.

R. Dowell, leading his flock from the very beginning. And that first building, well, it wasn't fancy.

Logs, plain and simple. No cushioned pews, no polished wood. Just split log benches, set up on peg legs, holding the weight of a worshipping community.

You can almost hear those benches creak. That original log building served its purpose, and then in 1892 a frame building replaced it. The congregation was growing, the years were passing, and Damascus kept on.

Then came 1950, and the present church went up, the building standing there today. Through all of it, Damascus held a distinction worth noting. It was a charter member of the Angelina Missionary Baptist Association.

From split log benches on peg legs to a lasting home in the community, Damascus Missionary Baptist Church has been part of this land since 1863, and that is no small thing.

What the marker says

Organized 1863. First pastor, Brother J. R. Dowell. Original building was of logs; had split log benches on peg legs. Replaced by frame building, 1892; the present church, 1950. A charter member of the Angelina Missionary Baptist Association.