Bethel Baptist Church (Houston, Texas)

Bethel Baptist Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Location	801 Andrews, Houston, Texas
Coordinates	29°45′20.2068″N 95°22′33.726″W / 29.755613000°N 95.37603500°W / 29.755613000; -95.37603500Coordinates: 29°45′20.2068″N 95°22′33.726″W / 29.755613000°N 95.37603500°W / 29.755613000; -95.37603500
Area	less than one acre
Built	1923
Architect	Blount, John L.; Thomas, James M.
Architectural style	Late Gothic Revival
NRHP Reference #	97001626[1]
Added to NRHP	January 16, 1998

Bethel Baptist Church is a historic Baptist church building at 801 Andrews in Houston, Texas.

The Late Gothic Revival building was constructed in 1923^[2] and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

History

The original Bethel Church building was constructed in 1889 as a haven for former slaves and was entirely constructed of wood.^[3] Built by the Reverend Jack Yates, the plot was located in Houston's Freedmantown district.^[3] The original structure was destroyed in the Great Storm of 1900. Between 1900 and 1920, a second church structure was erected on top of the remains but it too was later destroyed.^[2] Twenty three years later, the church was reconstructed for a third and final time.^[2]

In 1997, the last church service was held in the building after which it was abandoned.^[2]

On January 24, 2005, a fire destroyed the interior of the church, leaving only the exterior brickwork intact.^[3]"The roof, all the interior and even the church's back wall had been destroyed; all that was left were three walls, some concrete supports and the concrete floor."^[3]

In 2009, the church was sold to the City of Houston. Soon thereafter, the city erected steel supports and a concrete floor to preserve the building.^[3]

References