Mount Olive Baptist Church

A small group of African American Tarrant County residents, led by the Rev. Mr. Squires, organized Mount Olive Baptist Church in the summer of 1897. Originally located on Indiana Street, the church moved to a new white brick sanctuary at 415 N. West Street in 1966, when the city of Arlington experienced a period of growth. The church had sixteen members in 1966, but soon the membership rolls began to increase. By 1976, when the church was formally incorporated, it had more than 400 members. Groundbreaking for a new church building took place on October 31, 1976, and by June 1978 the members were worshiping in a new facility. A steady increase in membership led to the building of additional facilities to house the extended ministries and programs of the church. By 1986, membership totaled 3,500. The church moved to new facilities on Sanford Street in 1989, and membership grew to 10,000 by 1997. In addition to its long history of providing worship and educational programs for its members, Mount Olive Baptist Church has maintained an innovative and active outreach program in the community. Celebrating a century of service in 1997, the church continues to uphold the values and traditions of its founders. (1997)

Mount Olive Baptist Church is a historical marker in Arlington, Tarrant County, dedicated in 1997. It is one of 358 historical markers documented in Tarrant County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 501 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.7431, -97.1106 near Arlington. The nearest cataloged historic site is The Hill (historical marker), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, Booker T. Washington School, and Hutcheson-Smith Home.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5439012210. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.