First Baptist Church

The First Baptist congregation was organized in 1835 when there were around 1000 baptists living in Lafayette. The church held baptisms in a canal by the Wabash River from 1855 until the completion of the current church building. Construction of the church began in 1869 and was completed in 1872. Later an 18 stop tractor-action pipe organ built by Hook & Hastings Organ Company was purchased which was equivalent in cost to the building of the entire church. In 1921 the spires on top of both towers were removed--the taller of which had reached 210 feet into the air-- and replaced with the current parapets.

The church is built in the Norman Gothic style. The corbels, tall thin columns, round arches, and quatrefoil window are all characteristics of Norman Gothic architecture. The interior of the church has stained glass windows and walnut woodwork.

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• First Baptist Church
• Norman architecture
• Gothic architecture
  

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