First African Baptist Church Parsonage
Why it's listed
Built around 1915-1916, this one-story frame house at 911 5th Avenue in Columbus, Georgia, served as the parsonage for First African Baptist Church, whose sanctuary stands next door. City directories list it first in 1916 as the home of Rev. J. Henry Smith, pastor of the church. Rev. Jacob T. Brown lived here by 1918, and Rev. Broadus H. Hogan by 1923, both also pastors of the congregation. The house is an ell-plan Victorian cottage with a hip and gable roof and a porch running the length of the facade. Eastlake details include turned porch columns, a balustrade and gingerbread brackets, with floor-length windows and a transom over the central door. Inside, a variation of a central-hall plan provides five rooms. Its porch turnings and bracketing are uncommon nearby, and its close link to the church and its pastors gives it local historical importance. It remains in good condition and in use as a parsonage.
Significance in brief: The house is significant architecturally as a Victorian cottage with Eastlake detailing, including porch turnings and bracketing uncommon in the area. It is significant for local history because it was apparently built as the parsonage for the pastors of First African Baptist Church and is laid out for that purpose.
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 80001166, listed September 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 911 5th Ave., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | September 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001166 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian cottage with Eastlake detailing |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and currently used as a parsonage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.46320, -84.98648 (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 80001166.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452257
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.