Click above images to enlarge First Baptist Church of Detroit 8601 Woodward Avenue, Detroit - Wayne County Other Names Peoples Community Church Property Type church Historic Use RELIGION Current Use RELIGION Style Gothic Architect/Builder GUY VINTON Narrative Description The First Baptist Church of Detroit (Peoples Community Church) is a rockfaced, limestone, Gothic-style church. It subscribes to the standard elevation treatment for Gothic-style churches begun in the mid-nineteenth century. A gabled facade dominated by a massive, Gothic-arched traceried window is balanced by a large, square, buttressed corner tower with a louvered belfry. The Gothic-arched main entrance to the church is located in the base of the tower. Adjacent to the side of the flat-roofed tower is the educational wing, which is similar in design to the church in that it is a rockfaced, limestone structure with Gothic arched windows and corner buttresses. The First Baptist Church is notable for its extreme simplicity and lack of carved ornament, depending more for its impact on its bold detailing and massive proportions. Statement of Significance First Baptist Church (now of Southfield, Michigan) was founded by Baptists from New York and New England on October 20, 1827, under the leadership of Reverend Henry Davis. A frame building at Fort and Griswold streets was erected in 1831 and remained in use until replaced by a spacious brick meeting house which was dedicated on January 11, 1835. The church built larger structures in 1859 to 1863 and 1871 to 1875. The movement of members from the downtown area resulted in the construction of the present random ashlar, Gothic structure, dedicated on May 8, 1910. Guy J. Vinton (1859-1910), more prominently known as a builder in Detroit, was the architect of the structure. In 1957, faced with a dwindling membership, the congregation sold the building to the Peoples Community Church, an east-side Detroit congregation. First Baptist then erected a modern new sanctuary in Southfield, Michigan, which was dedicated in June 1965. The 1909 to 1910 First Baptist Church is notable for its broad auditorium in which the gallery entirely encircles the room and the choir and organ are centrally located in the gallery above and behind the pulpit. Period of Significance 1901-1930 Significant Date(s) 1909, 1910 Registry Type(s) 08/03/1982 National Register listed Site ID# P25096