{"nrhp_refnum":"100012086","name":"Bethel Baptist Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"2849 County Rd 2608","address_restricted":false,"city":"Tennessee Colony","county":"Anderson County","state":"TX","lat":31.893170000000055,"lon":-95.91674899999998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2025-12-17","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Ethnic Heritage-Black","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story buff-brick Gothic Revival influenced church at 801 Andrews in Houston's Fourth Ward, Harris County, Texas, built in two units in 1923 and 1950.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the church is significant under Criterion C in architecture at the local level. Its at-grade oversized arched entry and minimal Modern facade treatment differ from typical twin-tower church designs of the period. It is also associated with two prominent African American architects, John L. Blount and James M. Thomas, and with one of Houston's most prominent African American congregations.","narrative":"Rising three stories of buff brick at the corner of Andrews and Crosby in Houston's Fourth Ward, Bethel Baptist Church is one of the neighborhood's largest buildings. It was built in two stages. Architect John L. Blount designed the first unit, a one-story brick building completed in 1923. James M. Thomas completed the second and third stories and the principal facade between 1949 and 1950. An oversized arched entry framed in buff cast stone is the most notable feature, and the design blends Gothic Revival influence with Art Moderne and Art Deco touches. The congregation was organized in 1891 by Reverend Jack Yates, an early leader of Houston's African American community, and counted physicians, newspaper editors and business owners among its members. Blount and Thomas were among the city's most important African American architects of the twentieth century. The building was listed for its architecture. It has suffered roof leaks and some structural damage but retains its principal design elements and is still in use as a church.","period_of_significance":"1923; 1950","architect_builder":"Blount, John L. (architect 1923); Curts, Carl (builder 1923); Thomas, James M. (architect and builder 1950)","architectural_style":"Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Late Gothic Revival","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Still used as a religious facility; described as in fair condition and declining, with roof leaks and some structural damage to exterior walls.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:23.411782-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/2/9723/40972302/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/97001626.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":null,"wikipedia":null,"wikidata":null},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/anderson-county/bethel-baptist-church-100012086/"}