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First Baptist Church downtown
Postcard image from 1915

This photo looks north on Kellogg across 5th Street.   In 1908 the Baptists built this distinctive domed church on the northeast corner of the intersection to replace the 1872 frame church at the same location.  First Methodist Church and the Congregational Church are visible to the north on Kellogg.  Note the horse watering trough in the middle of the intersection of the dirt streets.

Watering trough, with the Baptist Church and the porch of the parsonage visible in the background

This photo also looks north from the same corner.  This wood frame church was constructed by the Baptist congregation in 1872. The tracks of the Ames and College Railroad (the Dinkey) are visible on 5th Street in the foreground of this image from the winter of 1905. The steeple of the wood frame First Methodist Church at Sixth and Kellogg can also be seen.  Learn more about the history of First Baptist Church.

This contemporary view of the same corner of Kellogg and 5th Street shows a parking lot and Rust Agency Insurance (former location of Fareway Grocery) where the First Baptist Church buildings had stood.

Tribune photo published July 15, 1949

REMOVE LAST OF 3 BUILDINGS ON FIFTH CORNER - Blocked-up and ready for moving, the last of three buildings on and near the northeast corner of Fifth and Kellogg is now being removed from the site.   At the right is all that's left of the old First Baptist church.  The new Baptist church is being built at Campustown.  Directly behind the blocked-up house, the old First Methodist parsonage has already been torn down.  The three sites, owned by the Fairway Stores, Inc., will become the site of a new Fairway store sometime in the future.  In case the Fairway company delays building, the company officials announced that the land will be used for an off-street parking area.