Tabernacle Baptist Church
Also known as: Evans Avenue Baptist Church; Mount Pisgah Baptist Church
Why it's listed
Located at the corner of Evans Avenue and Elmwood Street in southeast Fort Worth, this church combines a two-story Auditorium Wing and a Young Peoples Annex in light brown brick with iron flecks. A raised basement was built in 1923, and the upper structure followed in 1926-27 at a reported cost of $90,000. The auditorium has an arcaded portico with cast pilasters, a long flight of concrete steps, art glass windows, a U-shaped balcony, and seating for 750. The congregation began as Kentucky Avenue Baptist Church, adopted the name Tabernacle Baptist after a 1920 fire, and became Evans Avenue Baptist Church in 1941. In 1958 it was taken over by Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, one of Fort Worth's oldest African American congregations. Alterations include replacement windows in the annex and a glass-roofed atrium added in 1985. It was listed for its architecture, as a local example of 1920s Classical Revival church design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an excellent local example of 1920s Classical Revival architecture applied to a house of worship. The youth annex also reflects the changing social role of churches in the early 20th century. It meets the religious property consideration because its significance rests mainly on architectural distinction.
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 99001451, listed November 30, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1801 Evans Ave., Fort Worth |
|---|---|
| County | Tarrant County |
| Listed | November 30, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001451 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923, 1926-27, ca. 1944 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility by the Mount Pisgah Baptist Church congregation. The building is in good condition, though some wood window frames need repair. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.72493, -97.31791 (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 99001451.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7673029
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.