FBC Story

Thomas Jefferson was president and Washington, D.C. was a village of only a few thousand people when in July 1801 Baptists first met at the U.S. Treasury Building.

In March of 1802, six laypeople and four ministers established this church in a private home. From that time, First Baptist Church has worshiped and served in the heart of the nation's capital.

The congregation has worshiped God in five buildings on four sites in the District of Columbia, including what is now Ford's Theater (where President Lincoln was assassinated). The congregation moved to its current location (16th & O Streets, NW) in 1890. The first worship service in the present sanctuary took place on Christmas Day 1955.

In the early 1800s Luther Rice, a member here, used First Baptist as home base during his national travels organizing mission support among Baptists. With the support of our first pastor, Obadiah Brown, Rice led Baptists in founding Columbian College, now George Washington University.

Since 1845, First Baptist has served as a link between major national Baptist bodies. FBC partners with the Alliance of Baptists, American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Baptist World Alliance and the District of Columbia Baptist Convention.

Timeline 

1801 – group of six Baptists met on July 5 in the Treasury Building for a preaching service led by Rev. Lewis Richards of Baltimore.

1802 – First Baptist Church founded by six members on March 7, meeting in a private home; later that year a meeting house was built on the corner of 19th and I Streets, NW (1802-1834).

1807 – Rev. Obadiah Bruen Brown called to be first full-time pastor; served until his retirement in 1850. 

1821 – Brown built a large house at 814 E Street, NW to use as his family home and as a boarding house.

1830 – group of African-American members began meeting in a rented school room separate from the church; they joined the larger congregation for worship on Communion Sundays.

1834 – new church building constructed on 10th and E Streets NW, (1834-1859), two blocks from Brown’s house; many African-American members chose to remain at 19th and I Street location.

1838 – 32 African-American members requested to separate from First Baptist; 30 African-American members voiced opposition; ultimately, members of First Baptist voted to allow separation but retained ownership of 19th Street property (until 1875). 

1839 – Nineteenth Street Church became the First Colored Baptist Church on August 29 (the first Black Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.).

1859 – First Baptist Church moved to new building on 13th Street, between G and H Streets (1859-1890); merged with Fourth Baptist; used by Government as temporary hospital for a year; First Baptist shared facilities of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, and congregations frequently worshipped together.

1861 – 10th Street building sold to John Ford; converted into “Ford’s Theater”; building destroyed by fire in 1862; reconstructed in 1863.

1890 – First Baptist Church relocated to 16th and O Streets NW (1890-1953); one mile north of the White House; building demolished in 1953; during construction of new building services held at Jewish Community Center (then 16th and Q).

1955 – First Baptist Church occupied present sanctuary, built on site of former building at 16th and O Streets; first services held on Christmas Day, 1955.   

Five Buildings in Four Locations

1802-1834            19th and Eye Streets, NW

1834-1859            10th and E Streets, NW

1859-1890            13th Street between G and H Streets

1890-1953            16th and O Streets, NW

1955-present        16th and O Streets, NW