First Baptist Church of Aledo

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm gonna pass it along best I can. September 25, 1879; that's when this congregation first drew breath. Not in Aledo, mind you.

Not yet. The earliest gathering happened two and a half miles southeast of where you're standin' now, on land donated by a man named Middleton. He had one condition: name the building Alma Hall, in memory of his daughter.

So they did. And inside those walls, three different groups found common ground: a Baptist congregation, a Masonic Lodge, and a Methodist congregation, all sharin' the same roof. That's either a testament to community spirit or a recipe for some very interesting Sunday mornings.

Elder Isaac McMurray served as pastor of the Alma Hall Church through those early years, all the way until 1884, when the congregation merged with the Ebenezer Church. Right on the heels of that consolidation, they made their move into the railroad town of Aledo. No sanctuary waiting for them, though.

For a stretch, the members worshiped in the community schoolhouse, making do the way pioneers always did. Then, in 1891, a sanctuary was completed right here at this site. That was the beginning.

But congregations have a way of growin', and by 1913, that first sanctuary had to give way to something larger. Joe Hopkins supervised the construction, with church members pitching in alongside him. The building went up with the kind of labor that leaves a mark on a place; not just in the walls, but in the people.

More additions followed over the years, each one answering the demands of a congregation that just kept comin' back, keepin' growin'. For over a century now, the First Baptist Church of Aledo has been woven into the development of the surrounding area. Pastors here have included many prominent Baptist preachers.

Members have stepped up as community leaders. And the church's programs, to this day, reflect the ideals of those pioneer founders: the ones who started with donated land, a borrowed name, and a shared hall, and built something that lasted.

What the marker says

First Baptist Church Of Aledo This congregation was organized on September 25, 1879. The first church building was located on land (2.5 mi. SE) donated by a Mr. Middleton, who asked that the structure be named Alma Hall in memory of his daughter. The hall was shared with a Masonic Lodge and a Methodist congregation. Elder Isaac McMurray served as pastor of the Alma Hall Church until 1884, when it merged with the Ebenezer Church. Soon after the consolidation, the congregation moved to the railroad town of Aledo. Here the members worshiped in the community schoolhouse until a sanctuary was completed at this site in 1891. In 1913 it was replaced by a larger structure, built under the supervision of Joe Hopkins and with the assistance of church members. Later additions to the site were made to meet the demands of the congregation's continued growth. For over a century the First Baptist Church of Aledo has been instrumental in the development of the surrounding area. Pastors here have included many prominent Baptist preachers, and church members have actively served as leaders of the community. The church's programs continue to reflect the ideals of its pioneer founders. (1983)