Vintage Photo: Essex Baptist Church

Baptist Church, Essex, NY. Photo by B. Barker. (Shared by Susie Drinkwine)

Every Monday we share a vintage image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. Do you recognize this building without the photo’s title giving it away? I would not be surprised if you don’t as this building no longer exists. It’s the Essex Baptist Church.

Two members of the community did recognize the church and shared some information about it. Take a look:

Susan Martini: Yes, I recognize that Baptist Church. That church use to stand on our back lot (backyard) on Beggs Pt. Road. To the left of the church was the parsonage for the church (N. Goff’s place). The church burnt down in 1943, I believe.

Dianne Lansing: I agree….the Baptist church that stood in the lot next to Norma Goff”s. Amazing to think that such in impressive building was located on that small lot!

Vintage stereoview: Steeple of Essex Baptist Church rising in the background. (Thanks to Todd Goff for sharing this photo.)

Built in 1842, the Baptist Church served it congregation for many years until services ceased there in 1924 when the Baptists joined with the Presbyterians and Methodists to form the Essex Community Church. The Iroquois Lodge of Masons been occupied the former Methodist Episcopal Church for a time, but they bought this church in 1931 and used it until fire incinerated it just over a decade later in 1943.

I’ve never heard anything about the cause of the fire. Does anyone know?

Look at the stereoview image above and to the right to see the another view of the Essex Baptist Church that includes the full steeple.

Share Your Essex Artifacts

If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [at] essexonlakechamplain [dot] com.

Vintage Photo: Essex Main Street Looking South (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Essex Waterfront with Nail Factory (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Former Methodist Church with Steeple (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Stereoview: Essex Baptist Church Steeple (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Former Essex Baptist Church & Masonic Lodge (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Essex Community Church (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Old Stone Church: It’s Time to Return this Beautiful Building to Prominence (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Katie Shepard

Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, or at Linked.in. Or email her at katie [@] essexeditions [dot] com.