Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church

Duane's take

The official marker tells this story, and I'm just the one passin' it along to you on this stretch of Texas road. Here's how it went in Orange. The earliest known Black congregation in that county, Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, traces its roots back to 1871.

That's where the story begins, with a handful of determined men. Simon Jones, Peter Minor, and William Ruben Minor put in the organizational work that set things in motion. Then came more hands to help, William Edwards, Boyd Scott, Arthur Robinson, and John Williams, and together they raised the funds to build something real.

By 1872, they had done it. A small frame structure, standing on the corner of Third and Cherry Streets, was completed and ready. Small, maybe.

But it was theirs. That building was later moved to John Street and enlarged, because a congregation with that kind of drive doesn't stay small for long. The congregation was officially organized at a meeting in October of 1873, and when the time came for dedication, they brought in the Rev.

Archie Vinerable and the Rev. A. J.

Shotwell, over from Beaumont, to conduct the ceremony. Over the years, several other sanctuaries served the members. Each one a chapter in a longer story.

Then in 1926, the present brick building was constructed. It was designed by Dr. C.

E. Jeter and completed during the pastorate of the Rev. W.

J. Clark. That building stands as a monument not just to the congregation but to everything they built around it.

Mount Zion has been instrumental in the development of the broader community, sponsoring missionary programs and serving as a nucleus for the formation of several other churches. Many prominent area leaders have called this congregation home. Started by a few men with a vision back in 1871, Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church didn't just build a place to worship.

It helped build Orange itself.

What the marker says

The earliest known Black congregation in Orange, Mount Zion Missionary Baptist church was started in 1871 as a result of the organizational efforts begun by Simon Jones, Peter Minor, and William Ruben Minor. Joined later by William Edwards, Boyd Scott, Arthur Robinson, and John Williams, they raised funds for the construction of a church building. Completed in 1872, the first sanctuary was a small frame structure on the corner of third and Cherry Streets. It was later moved to John Street and enlarged. The congregation was officially organized at a meeting in October 1873. The dedication ceremony was conducted by the Rev. Archie Vinerable and the Rev. A. J. Shotwell of Beaumont. Several other sanctuaries served the members before the present brick building was constructed in 1926. Designed by Dr. C. E. Jeter, it was completed during the pastorate of the Rev. W. J. Clark. The Mount Zion congregation has been instrumental in the development of the community, sponsoring missionary programs and serving as a nucleus for the formation of several churches. Many prominent area leaders have been members here.