Area less than one acre Architectural style Late Gothic Revival | Built 1923 NRHP Reference # 97001626 | |
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Location 801 Andrews, Houston, Texas Architect Blount, John L.; Thomas, James M. | ||
Bethel Baptist Church is a historic Baptist church building at 801 Andrews in Houston, Texas.
The Late Gothic Revival building was constructed in 1923 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
History
The original Bethel Church building was constructed in 1889 as a haven for former slaves and was entirely constructed of wood. Built by the Reverend Jack Yates, the plot was located in Houston's Freedmantown district. The original structure was destroyed in the Great Storm of 1900. Between 1900 and 1920, a second church structure was erected on top of the remains but it too was later destroyed. Twenty three years later, the church was reconstructed for a third and final time.
In 1997, the last church service was held in the building after which it was abandoned.
On January 24, 2005, a fire destroyed the interior of the church, leaving only the exterior brickwork intact."The roof, all the interior and even the church's back wall had been destroyed; all that was left were three walls, some concrete supports and the concrete floor."
In 2009, the church was sold to the City of Houston. Soon thereafter, the city erected steel supports and a concrete floor to preserve the building.