First Baptist Church of Barksdale

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, friends; so let me pass it along. Out in Edwards County, in the little community of Barksdale, there's a Baptist church with roots that go back to 1883. That's when the Barksdale Baptist Church first took shape: nineteen members strong, which sounds modest until you picture what nineteen determined souls could build out on that land.

And build they did. Traditionally, when it came time for baptisms, they didn't look far. The Nueces River Crossing, just nearby, served that sacred purpose.

There's something to that. A congregation and a river, year after year. From 1906, a frame sanctuary stood right here on this site, holding the congregation through decades of Texas summers and hard winters alike; until 1943, when it was time for something more lasting.

H.L. Wood of Barksdale began construction of the new building, and when the work needed finishing, the congregation members stepped in and completed it themselves. Now that's a church built by the people who'd worship in it.

What they raised is a rectangular, front-gabled structure with a covered entry, native stone veneer, exposed rafter ends, and double-hung wood windows: the kind of building that looks like it means to stay. There was an original bell tower once (though it was later removed). The frame sanctuary is long gone.

The river's still there. And the church that nineteen members started in 1883 is still standing in Barksdale, in stone this time.

What the marker says

The Barksdale Baptist Church became the first Baptist church in the community in 1883 with a membership of nineteen. Traditionally, baptisms have been held at the nearby Nueces River Crossing. A frame sanctuary on this site served the needs of the church from 1906 until it was replaced by this structure in 1943. H.L. Wood of Barksdale began construction of the building, which was completed by congregation members. The rectangular plan, front-gabled church with covered entry features a native stone veneer, exposed rafter ends and double-hung wood windows. An original bell tower was later removed. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2008