Celebrates a Washington Street Baptist Church of More than a Century

The spirit of a group of original parishioners worshipping in a log cabin lives on in the lively and committed members of this century-old congregation

by Amanda Hutchison

THERE IS

A Sense Of Spirit That Stands

above and beyond the physical structure of Washington Street Baptist Church. The current building was completed in 1969, but the history of the church, its community, its general feeling of life, is 168 years old. It’s a symbol of perseverance, mission, community, and giving.

Washington Street Baptist Church is the oldest African American church in Western Kentucky. Its history begins on the first Sunday in February 1855 in a little log cabin close to the site of their current building. The congregants were African American slaves. They were former members of First Baptist Church. In their previous church they were segregated to the balcony of the church—which they soon felt was too small for the group. “I imagine that they started thinking about the goodness of the Lord and just started shouting and praising,” Pastor Henderson shares. “As a result of all the noise, they were granted permission to start their own church.”

Reverend George Brent, a white minister, offered his assistance to the newly formed congregation. In 1858 slave holders forced Reverend Brent to leave his position with the church because of his militant stance against slavery. Rever end George Washington Dupee, a freed Black man, visited the church. In August of 1858 he held a meeting and baptized 81 people in 14 minutes. He was invited to lead the church, and he decided to stay.

Under Reverend Dupee, plans for a new church commenced. The church was built by Monroe Utterback, a Black contractor from Mayfield, Kentucky. Utterback also built Burks Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. According to the Paducah Sun in 1898, 1,500 people came out to watch the first cornerstone laid down for the new church. “The crowd was so large the street, for a while, was almost impassable.”

Reverend Dupee’s predecessor, Reverend Hawkins, is re sponsible for the installation of the beautiful pictorial stained glass windows which adorned the church. He also installed its pipe organ which was another point of pride for the congregation. The church withstood several devastations including two floods and a fire. On April 19, 1942 the church was destroyed by a fire. No bank in Paducah would give money to the church. Ultimately, they were able to get money through the West Union Baptist Association, which is a part of the South Baptist Association, with the stipulation that they would become a part of the Southern Baptist Association. While the church was being rebuilt the congregation met in Lincoln School. The church was reconstructed and reoccupied on April 11, 1943.

Washington Street Baptist Church’s current building was finished in August 1969. Its completion was celebrated with an eight-day dedication service. The podium and pews from the 1940s are still in the church today.