OUR HISTORY

The Baptist Church of Columbia, Kentucky was organized July 6, 1827 at the Adair County Courthouse where they had been meeting.  It began with nine charter members.  Ordained ministers were present from the mother church, Zion Baptist Church.  The first pastor was either John Steel or H. G. Waggener, Sr.  The church has been continuously connected to the Russell Creek Association.  The original Articles of Faith for the church may be downloaded here.   Lot #32 in the town (consisting of a half-acre) was bought in 1944 by the United Baptist Church of Christ from Robert Leslie of Virginia for $200.00.  This was on Main Street, now Greensburg Street.  This land, from here on to the town square, had originally been owned by Benjamin Lampton, grandfather of Samuel Clements (better known as Mark Twain).  The church has acquired more land adjacent to it since that time.   During the Civil War, the church building was used from 1861-1865 by the federal government as a hospital.  In 1906 a long-standing claim was collected from the federal government for compensation.   Some of the buildings for Columbia Baptist Church were razed to build new structures, and some burned.  The present building is the fourth building.  It was designed after Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.  The six stained-glass windows in the sanctuary have names and information on them.   The educational building with three floors was built in 1957.  An elevator has been installed to make the upper floors more accessible.  Some of the present members are descendants of those charter members.