Woodlawn Baptist Church

History of the Woodlawn Baptist Church

A Grand Church for a Growing Congregation

The former Woodlawn Baptist Church was erected in 1929 at the corner of Stockton and Roselle Streets in Riverside, Jacksonville, Florida. The edifice replaced a much smaller one located on Woodlawn Avenue, which was deemed inadequate for the growing congregation.

Initially, the structure was to be a replica of the First Baptist Church in Lake City, with plans drawn up by architect Newbold L. Goin of Gainesville for the Woodlawn project. It was to be made of brick with “art stone trimmings and mission tile roof.” The Sunday School assembly room was to be located on the ground floor, while the main auditorium, seating approximately 700, was located above. The three-story Sunday School building was also planned, which would include classrooms. The cost of the building was to be $60,000.

Although the church had several thousand dollars in its building fund, much more was needed. An appeal was sent out to all the Christians of the city for donations and pledges to help fund the construction of the new edifice. Rev. Walter J. Meade publicly announced on April 6, 1926, “Christian citizens of Jacksonville and elsewhere who are interested in construction of the new Woodlawn Baptist church are invited to participate in this campaign.”

A Change of Plans

It’s unknown what occurred, be it cost constraints or a change of preference by the congregation, but the building ended up being a much more modest Mission-style edifice designed by architect Max R. Nippell. Nippell was a Swiss architect from the Midwest who was partnered with Jacksonville architect Charles C. Oehme for a short time, collaborating on a few projects, most of which are no longer extant. Prominent builder J. P. Hardy was the contractor.

As is customary with many churches, the building wasn’t dedicated until the debt accrued from its construction was paid off. In June 1943, it was announced that the church had liquidated its $15,000 indebtness and celebrated the event by burning all the mortgages. The building was finally dedicated on July 5, 1943.

Use by the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters

The building functioned as a church until 2004, when it was sold to the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters, whose headquarters are located in the former Fire Station No. 8 across Stockton Street. The former fire station is recognized for the historic six-story fire tower on the premises, which was designed by prominent Jacksonville architect Jefferson Davis Powell and completed in 1937. The former church then functioned as a clubhouse for the Fire and Iron Station Motorcycle Club, a charitable organization for firefighters, fire buffs, and their families.

Although the old Woodlawn Baptist Church is no longer in use and has seemingly been abandoned, an auditorium on the premises, separate from the church, remains in use as the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters Hall.

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