{"nrhp_refnum":"83003297","name":"First Baptist Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"418 E. Bute St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Norfolk (Independent City)","county":"Norfolk","state":"VA","lat":36.852764989000036,"lon":-76.28410136699995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1983-07-21","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Black","Architecture","Religion","Social History"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"First Baptist Church is a Romanesque Revival church building at 418 East Bute Street on the edge of downtown Norfolk, Virginia, built in 1906 and designed by Chattanooga architect Reuben H. Hunt.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as the home of a congregation that grew from Norfolk's earliest Baptist groups and fostered leadership and identity in the city's black community. It is also described as one of the best examples of Romanesque Revival architecture in Virginia. Its large scale reflects the economic strength of Norfolk's black community by the early 20th century.","narrative":"Built in 1906 at 418 East Bute Street, First Baptist Church is a large Romanesque Revival building of pink granite with limestone trim, designed by Tennessee architect Reuben H. Hunt. A tall corner tower, a shorter companion tower, an arcade and a big stained-glass window mark the facade, while the brick nave behind is plain because neighboring buildings were meant to hide it. Those buildings are gone, so the church now stands largely alone. The congregation dates to 1800 and became known as a black congregation. Its members bought the Bute Street site in 1830. Before emancipation, the church let free and enslaved Black residents meet, learn and practice leadership. The 1906 building, costing $52,000, was partly built by church members, and the press praised it. A 1961 educational building was added at the rear. The church reflects the economic strength and religious life of Norfolk's black community.","period_of_significance":"1900- (specific date 1906)","architect_builder":"Reuben H. Hunt","architectural_style":"Romanesque Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied and in use as a religious building; described as in excellent condition, retaining most original interior appointments, and standing isolated after urban renewal.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:57.934563-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/89/6821/41682189/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/83003297.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83003297/739b555651-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83003297/739b555651-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Cathy1763","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_Baptist_Church,_Norfolk,_VA.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Cathy1763</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_Baptist_Church,_Norfolk,_VA.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41682189","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Baptist_Church_(Norfolk,_Virginia)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16836904"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/norfolk/first-baptist-church-83003297/"}