Main Street To Host Open House At Historic First Baptist Church

An interactive digital video time capsule will be open on Saturday. Main Street welcomes people to share their personal stories and favorite memories of the church to commemorate and celebrate its impact on San Marcos…

The San Marcos Main Street Program invites the public to Celebration of Hope, a two-day open house weekend at the Cephas House, 213 W. MLK, as well as the adjacent historic First Baptist Church and Eddie Durham Park, from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 20 and 21.

An interactive digital video time capsule will be open on Saturday. Main Street welcomes people to share their personal stories and favorite memories of the church to commemorate and celebrate its impact on San Marcos. On Saturday and Sunday, residents are invited to participate in a community art project at the open house.

First Baptist Church was a cultural gem for San Marcos and played a critical role in the Black community from the post-Civil War era up to its abandonment in 1986. Along with Sunday services and other religious observances, the church also provided a safe space for graduations, community events, weddings, funerals and NAACP meetings.

It is currently in the running for a $150,000 preservation grant sponsored by American Express, National Geographic, The National Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America. The historic First Baptist Church is one of 20 projects across the country, and the only project in Texas, competing for the grant.

“Not only does the building of the Historic First Baptist Church deserve to be preserved because of its distinctive architecture, but also because of its importance to the San Marcos community and special place in Texas history,” said Interim Main Street Manager Josie Falletta. “That is why we are calling this event ‘Celebration of Hope,’ because we are so excited to capture and showcase the community’s stories and impressions of the church for future generations.”

To participate in the church’s preservation grant efforts, vote for the Historic First Baptist Church at www.voteyourmainstreet.org/sanmarcos.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Main Street America and American Express are working together to bring $2 million in preservation funding to projects on America’s Main Streets through a public participation process that will raise awareness of the work being done across the country to revitalize Main Streets and neighborhood districts in small towns, mid-sized cities, and urban centers across America. The public will be engaged in an online voting campaign to help determine the winning projects.

San Marcos was designated in 1986 as an official Main Street City by the Texas Historical Commission and the National Trust for Historic Preservation and remains one of the oldest Main Street programs in the state. The vision of the San Marcos Main Street Program is to foster a downtown that is a unique and culturally vibrant destination, where local business thrive and people of all ages can connect, create and celebrate.