Zion Baptist Church
Why it's listed
Zion Baptist Church is a red-brick church at 149 Haynes Street in Marietta, a block north of the county government complex. Its congregation formed in 1866, when 88 Black members received letters of dismissal from the First Baptist Church of Marietta. They bought a 40-by-60-foot lot in 1867 and worshipped in a wooden church that was damaged by fire and then bricked over, with a cornerstone dated 1888. A bell tower followed in 1897, and a vestibule, electricity and a furnace were added in later decades. Inside are plaster walls, a vaulted wood-slat ceiling, hand-carved pews and a baptismal pool behind the choir. The pointed-arch windows give the plain building its Gothic character. It is considered the oldest surviving Black Baptist church building in Marietta, and it reflects the community institutions freed people created after the Civil War. The congregation built a new church across Lemon Street in 1978, and restoration of the old building as a museum is planned.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the oldest black Baptist church building in Marietta, built by a congregation of newly freed people who left a white congregation in 1866. It is also a good example of a wooden church bricked over, with Gothic-style pointed windows and a built-in baptismal pool typical of Baptist churches.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 90001026, listed July 11, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 149 Haynes St., Marietta |
|---|---|
| County | Cobb County |
| Listed | July 11, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001026 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The congregation built a new church in 1978 and used the old building for Sunday school until the furnace failed in 1979. The old church awaits restoration as a museum and meeting place; the form also describes the church as still active. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.95508, -84.54737 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90001026.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q94577627
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.