Introducing the First Baptist Church

April 2, 2015 by Rebecca Harris

My name is Rebecca Harris and I am a field officer in the Boston Field Office. I am leading the team at the National Trust that is working in partnership with the Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE) and the City of New Bedford to define a new future for the First Baptist Church. The current congregation is small and they are passionate about caring for their beautiful building that has been an active home for congregations since 1829. Like so many congregations around the country, they face the financial challenge of caring for a large building. As a result, they are exploring the idea of creating a partnership with a local community theater group, Your Theatre, Inc., that would allow both groups to call the church home. This partnership would allow for the rehabiltation of the church, provide for ongoing maintenance, establish a permanent downtown location for the theatre, and bring new vitality to the building. The National Trust is helping by providing legal assistance related to the partnership, technical assistance for the rehabilitation, and by matching the congregation and theatre group up with organizations who have accomplished similar goals. We are also capturing the lessons learned throughout the process in order to share them with other groups across the country.

Share your stories from Route 66! Whether a quirky roadside attraction, a treasured business, or a piece of family history, we are looking for your stories from this iconic highway.

Share Your Story