First Baptist Church of White Settlement

Six charter members established this congregation in 1868 and named it New Prospect Baptist Church. The founding members - Joseph and Melinda Jane Farmer, James and Sally Young, and Lawrence and E. A. Steel -called the Rev. J. C. Powers as their first pastor. They met in Grant's School, a one-room log cabin that also served as a community center. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Dearing gave the church an acre of land and then sold another acre to the church for the purpose of building a permanent house of worship in the White Settlement community in 1905. Three years later the name was changed to White Settlement Baptist Church. A lightning strike in May 1946 caused the church building to burn to the ground. Members met in an adjacent school facility while plans were made for a new building, which was completed in 1953. The congregation maintained a fairly small membership until the 1940s and 1950s when nearby development of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, Carswell Air Force Base and associated industries brought a surge in the area's population. During this time, White Settlement Baptist Church helped found a number of new congregations in the county and developed strong programs of education, mission and outreach to the community. Known as the First Baptist Church of White Settlement since 1954, the congregation has played a significant role in the religious history of Tarrant County and continues to uphold the ideals and traditions of its founders. (2001)

First Baptist Church of White Settlement is a historical marker in White Settlement, Tarrant County, dedicated in 2001. 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 32.7595, -97.4489 near White Settlement. The nearest cataloged historic site is Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation Plant No. 4 (historical marker), about 0.3 miles away. Others within a short drive include William Terry Allen Log Cabin, White Settlement Historical Museum, and Thompson Family Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5439012507. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.