The Baptist Church
The first church organized in Gilmer was the First Baptist Church. It was first located in a log building on Montgomery Street. This was soon exchanged for a frame building a block north of the square on Titus, on the corner east of the Ragland Clinic. It was over sixty years ago that this building was used, and the church remained there many years. The records of the church from its beginning, were kept here, but when they disappeared, with them went the early history. After a long period of years a brick church was built diagonally across the corner from the site of the present church building. This was a very elaborate building with vari-colored window panes in ornate designs, as was the architectural style of that period. The pews, costing $1,700.00, were bought by the Women’s Missionary Union, and when the present building was erected in 1910, these same pews were moved to it where they are still in use. The continued growth made it necessary to erect an annex north of the main building. Just a few years ago the church installed a new $3,000 organ.