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Our History

 

 

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Northport Baptist Church has had a long and illustrious history. Many people have been greatly blessed through its years by those saints who walked with the Lord.

Originally called North Tuscaloosa Baptist Church, 41 members organized the church in 1838, the first pastor being A. K. Atkins.  A 70' X 70' lot was deeded to the church on May 22, 1840 by Washington Moody.  The land description puts the structure on the west side of Academy Street, which is now 21st Avenue.  The deed was reversionary, which means that when the property was no longer used for a house of worship, it automatically reverted to the property owner.  For this reason, no deed is found from the Baptist church back to Washington Moody (or a successor) for the property.

According to Marvin L. Harper, who was President of Tuscaloosa County Historical Society, "a new church house was built in 1857 or 1858 on the lot where the church now stands." The building was an excellent one for its day and was built to accommodate both white and colored. One Negro man, Sam Thompson, kept his membership with the church for many years after liberation of Negro slaves, and until his death, was "devoted to his church, and the church to him." This was a one room wooden structure. Located in the front portion of the church building there was an overhead gallery – this section reserved for slaves. The gallery was reached by a winding stairs on either side of the entrance to the building. The gallery was removed after the Civil War.

This building was heated by two large stoves for coal or wood. To the left of the pulpit was an area called the "Amen Corner." On the right was the organ – with the foot pumps.

By 1843, the membership had increased to one hundred and five. In 1854, the name was changed from North Tuscaloosa Baptist to Northport Baptist. A.H. Atkins and Robert Adams were licensed ministers. By 1884 the membership had grown to one hundred seventy-six. By the end of the twentieth century the membership stood at more than one thousand seven hundred.

The church was incorporated November 6, 1910. In the early forties a Temperance Society was organized and met alternately in the "Baptist House" and the "Methodist House." The church bell was constructed in 1858 by Jones and Company, Founders, of Buffalo, New York. The bell was originally installed in the building which was built in 1858 and was used until that building was replaced by the present structure.

A Ladies Aide Society was organized in 1889 for the purpose of the study of missions and the collection of funds for missions. This group later became the Woman’s Missionary Society. The work of this group was later extended to include young women and children and became known as Woman’s Missionary Union. Baptist Young People’s Union became a part of the church ministry early in the 1900s.

A new building - the Chapel of present facilities – was erected in 1923, replacing the 1858 wood structure. On August 25, 1940, the church voted to purchase the property just back of the building. This property and the frame house which stood on that lot was used for children’s Sunday School classes for several years. Church property was extended with the purchase in November 1966 of five additional lots on Main Avenue adjacent to the property on which the church building is located. Additional lots were purchased on Tenth Street in 1993 and 1995. Two wings or educational buildings, were added to the church – the first in 1947, and the other in 1953, these being joined to the original building in the back. Two wings for educational purposes, the Preschool Buiding and the Fellowship Hall building, were added in 1968. In 1974, the main auditorium was redecorated: the floors were carpeted, the walls were painted, and new pews were purchased. Dedication upon completion of this work was observed October 27, 1974. During 1985-86 more new buildings were constructed, consisting of a new educational wing, housing children’s and youth departments, a new office suite, and a Family Life Center. In February of 1994 the church voted to proceed with the building of a preschool addition as well as modifying the Family Life Center. Construction of a new preschool building and playground began in 1995 with official dedication in 1996.

Having served as pastor for thirty years, the Rev, B.F. Atkins was elected Pastor Emeritus in 1975. The Rev. Clinton Wood was elected Pastor Emeritus in 1993. The following have served as pastors of Northport Baptist:

• Robert Adams, 1846-1856
• Reuben Dodson, 1857-1860
• A.J. Battle, 1861-1863
• A.A. Spiller, 1864-1865
• T.M. Barbour, 1866
• H.G. Smith, 1867
• T.M. Barbour 1868-1869
• John T. Yerby, 1870-1872
• John Brown, 1872-1878
• Fred H. Dale, 1878-1882
• J.T. Yerby, 1883-1884
• Samuel H. Henderson, 1885-1887
• W.M. Blackwelder, 1888-1890
• J.H. Curry, 1890-1899
• W.L. White, 1899-1902
• J.R. McGill, 1903-1906
• A.T. Camp, 1907-1912
• H.D. Wilson, 1913-1917
• A.H. Mahaffey, 1918-1921
• J.H. Wallace, 1921-1927
• B.F. Atkins, 1928-1958
• James L. Knight, Jr, 1958-1962
• John P. Oakes, 1963-1965
• John Stanley Kelley, 1965-1973
• Clinton M. Wood, 1974-1986
• Robert C. Dominy, Jr, 1987-1992
• William Ronny Spillers, 1992-1994
• John A. Nixon, Jr, 1996 - present