St. John's Missionary Baptist Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1926 on a prominent corner in New Bern's Long Wharf/Lawson Creek neighborhood, St. John's Missionary Baptist Church is a large brick sanctuary with a three-stage entrance tower and stepped wooden steeple. Red brick walls with yellow brick corner quoins give a polychrome effect, and round-arched windows have concrete keystones. Inside, the sanctuary has a vaulted beadboard ceiling, exposed trusses, original pine pews and a baptismal pool behind the chancel. The congregation traces its origins to 1865 and bought its lot in 1869, after worshipping in two earlier buildings. Rev. W. H. A. Stallings, pastor from 1919 to 1951, led the planning of the new church, which Mr. Perry, a contractor from Edenton, built. It was regarded as the most luxurious Baptist church in the area, and its bell drew members from across the neighborhood. In 1944 the church started the first Black-operated credit union in New Bern. It is listed for its architecture, religious history and African American heritage.
Significance in brief: The church is considered the architecturally significant sanctuary of what may be the oldest Black Baptist congregation in New Bern, founded according to tradition in 1865. Its tall bell tower and large sanctuary have made it an architectural and community focus of its historic African American neighborhood throughout the twentieth century. It qualifies under Criterion A for religion and Black ethnic heritage and Criterion C for architecture.
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 97000575, listed June 30, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1130 Walt Bellamy Dr., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | June 30, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000575 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Mr. Perry, contractor (of Edenton) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (described in the text as Neoclassical Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Science, Architecture, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church remains in religious use. A c.1963 brick parsonage behind it, which is noncontributing, now houses a day care. Structural repairs to the bell tower are a stated future goal. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.10454, -77.05301 (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 97000575.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588799
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.