First Baptist Church of Nixon

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First Baptist Church of Nixon, out in Gonzales County. Now before Nixon even existed — before the San Antonio and Gulf Railroad came through and drew a town line in the dirt in 1906 — there was another place. A town called Rancho, sitting about a mile north of here, living its quiet life on the south Texas plain.

And it's in Rancho where this story begins. Way back in 1869, the Rev. T.

Christmas and the Rev. J.F. Hines rode in on behalf of the San Antonio Baptist Association and organized a congregation right there in that little town.

A mission church, just getting its footing. In time, the congregation built themselves a small sanctuary in Rancho, and they stayed put — years rolling by, the town of Nixon not yet a thought in anybody's head. Then the railroad came.

Nixon rose up along the new San Antonio and Gulf line, and by 1907 the congregation made their move. They packed up, headed down to the new town, and changed their name to Nixon Baptist Church. A fresh start in a fresh place.

Things were building. In 1909, a revival service swept through — the kind that fills the pews and spills into the street — and when the dust settled, 37 new members had joined. A Sunday School got organized.

A Ladies Aid Society too. That's the kind of year you remember. In 1921, Nixon Baptist joined the Gambrell Baptist Association, widening their circle of fellowship.

And then, in 1928, they did something a little unexpected — they erected a building at the Alto Frio encampment, way out near Leakey, Texas. That connection with Alto Frio would grow into a long-term association, reaching well beyond Gonzales County into the Hill Country. The congregation kept on building — not just in spirit, but in brick and mortar.

In 1955, they put up a new sanctuary right here, and with that new building came a new name: First Baptist Church of Nixon. The name that's stuck ever since. From that foundation, the church went on to establish a scholarship fund for local high school graduates pursuing Baptist studies, sponsor youth activities and programs, help establish area mission churches, and contribute to the educational, moral, and cultural development of the community around them.

One congregation. Rancho to Nixon, 1869 to the present. Sometimes the best measure of a church isn't the size of the sanctuary — it's how long the roots run and how far the branches reach.

What the marker says

The town of Rancho existed about one mile north of here for many years prior to the establishment of Nixon in 1906 on the new San Antonio and Gulf Railroad line. This church was organized in 1869 as a mission of the San Antonio Baptist Association by the Rev. T. Christmas and the Rev. J.F. Hines. The congregation built a small sanctuary in Rancho and remained there until 1907 when they moved to the new town of Nixon and changed their name to Nixon Baptist Church. A Sunday School and Ladies Aid Society were organized and 37 members joined the church in 1909 as a result of a successful revival service. In 1921 Nixon Baptist joined the Gambrell Baptist Association. The congregation began a long-term association with the Alto Frio encampment near Leakey, Texas, when they erected a building there in 1928. In conjunction with the building of a new sanctuary here in 1955, the congregation changed its name to First Baptist Church of Nixon. The congregation has since established a scholarship fund for local high school graduates pursuing Baptist stidues, sponsored youth activities and programs, helped establish area mission churches, and contributed to the educational, moral, and cultural development of the community. (1994)