Fort Worth’s oldest African American Baptist church will sell, seek out new home
Fort Worth’s oldest African American Baptist church, which was recently put on a list of Most Endangered Places in the city, is now up for sale.
Mount Gilead Baptist Church, at 600 Grove St. in downtown Fort Worth, this year celebrated its 150th year of existence, but financial struggles, a lack of air conditioning, and dwindling membership has caused the congregation to seek a new location.
In a 19-4 vote by eligible members of the church, it was decided to sell the building, said Pastor Lorenzo Jones.
“The overwhelming majority of members are in agreement with the decision to move it,” Jones told the Star-Telegram. “It could not have been just me as a pastor making a decision, it had to be a move of the people.”
The building is listed at $3 million based on the downtown market, surrounding properties, and location, Jones said. The church hopes to use proceeds from the sale to find a new location for the church, which would preserve its congregation, name, identity and history. Currently, the church has no offers from buyers.
In June, the church was listed on the 2025 Most Endangered Places by Historic Fort Worth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and preserving the city’s architectural heritage. The list is used to draw attention to historic places in need of restoration or preservation. The buildings recognized have generally been threatened by a lack of maintenance, loss of parking and a lack of awareness by the owners of economic incentives available to rehabilitate historic buildings.
Jerre Tracy, executive director of Historic Fort Worth, says buildings like Mount Gilead deserve to have a future that holds a close tie to the community they serve.
“We don’t want to lose this incredible historic asset that ties back to the African American community,” Tracy said. “There’s got to be a new purpose for it.”
Mount Gilead Baptist Church was founded by 12 formerly enslaved people in September 1875. The first building was in a Black settlement called “Baptist Hill” near 15th and Crump streets. The church then moved to another building on 13th Avenue and Jones Street in 1882-83. It included a library, cafeteria, pipe organ, an indoor baptismal, a day nursery, an indoor pool, a kindergarten and opera chairs in the balcony.
The current 4,800-square-foot building at East Fifth Street and Grove Street was completed in 1912.
While not looking for handouts, Jones said the church would like any help or suggestions on how to preserve the church building. Joining the congregation and contributing to its mission can help as well, he said.
The church has already had three locations in its history and, with God’s will, it can have a fourth and still prosper, Jones said.
“I think you’re going to have people that are going to always associate history with the building, but we stand at a significant crossroads where we can define and continue to define what our history is at a new location,” Jones said.
