Recently my wife and I got up on a Saturday morning and after coffee, and breakfast, we decided to set out on another adventure. It was one of those days that we leave home with no destination in mind. Just a wherever the road takes you kind of day. Heading East we wound up in Conecuh County.
As we came around a curve in the road and looked up we saw this beautiful old church sitting there and immediately knew that we had to stop and take a photo or two and read the signs out front.
We were at Brooklyn Baptist Church. From the very first look it appeared to be a building of the mid 1800’s by the front doors one on each side. Somewhere in time it had been remodeled and those two doors sealed up and double doors installed in the middle of the front.
Common practice for churches built in the mid 1800’s were the two separate doors. In most of the ones I have heard it mentioned in the right door was where the men and boys entered, and they sat on the right side. The women, girls, and small children, normally entered through the left door and sat on the left side of the church.
A spacious well-kept cemetery joined the church with on the right side facing the church while tables out back covered by an open shed sat behind the church holding the strong appearance and beauty of the mid 1800’s churches.
Walking up to the front I saw a marker standing in front of the chruch.
As I walked up and started reading, I found a marker that stated a brief history of this beautiful church:
“Brooklyn Baptist Church was organized by Elder Alexander Travis in 1821 in a log building used as a school and house of worship in mid Brooklyn next to the Methodist Cemetery. Elder Travis served many years as preacher of Brooklyn Missionary Baptist Church.
Interesting note here: Alexander Travis was an uncle to William Travis who died at the Alamo, and also organized Bellville Baptist Church in 1821 and was pastor there also.
In 1860 Eli Hirchfeilder conveyed title to three acres of land up the hill adjoining Brooklyn Academy to the Trustees and Deacons of Missionary Baptist Church Congregation: Charles Floyd, Zachariah Williams, Charles W. Snowden, and Andrew J. Robinson.
On this land called Academy Hill he current church sanctuary was completed in October 1861. The Floyd Family gave the land for the cemetery to the church in 1862.
Brooklyn Baptist church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage Committee in 1983 and continues to provide a place where God’s word is proclaimed some 200 years later”.
This incredibly beautiful mid 1800’s church sits today holding much of the original appearance but apparently remodeled to be comfortable in today’s modern times. This appears to be a church that will hold prominence for many years in the future.
This appears to be a church that has withstood the test of time and has blessed many generations of people of the community around where it stands.
It was truly a blessing to see and hopefully in the future see again. One can only imagine what other history this beautiful church and the generations of congregations who have attended hold.
If you have further information on this church you would like to share please comment in the comments section of this blog.
Where are the records of this church?
I would imagine that the church members themselves have them. I know the information I have on it is from the markers they have erected and verbal from older citizens.