The Baptist Church of Longview was formed in 1871 in the home of one of the charter members.
Enrolled at that first session were Mr. and Mrs. F.J. Harrison, Mrs. A. W. Morrison, Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Northcutt, Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Tankersley Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Whaley, Elizabeth Burke, the Rev. and Mrs. L.S. Markham, Fannie Spear (Mrs. Frank Young), Dr. T.M. Coleman and the Rev. and Mrs. Snodgrass.
Once the organization program was completed, the little congregation started the building fund, which made possible the erection of a one-room frame structure.
Dr. A.E. Clemmons was pastor and moderator of the conference Aug. 31, 1874, which appointed the first board of trustees, B.K. Smith, F.J. Harrison, W.G. Northcutt, F.L. Whaley and L.S, Markham, to locate a site for the building. The trustees secured a deed for two lots donated by the Texas and Pacific Railroad in September.
This first house of worship was located at the northwest corner of South Fredonia and South streets.
Built of the best lumber from nearby pine forests, it had two sets of steps leading up to the high, broad-columned porch. Two sets of double doors of dark oak ornamented with transoms opened into vestibules where buckets of fresh water drawn from the church well were placed. Inside the building were three sections of stiff-backed pews. The men traditionally sat on one side of the church and the women on the other.
The congregation operated under the name Baptist Church of Longview until 1914, when it was incorporated as the First Baptist Church of Longview. Trustees S.C. Forman, E.H. Bussy and J.V. Harrison Sr. conveyed the property to the new board including L.J. Everett, president, Bussey, secretary, John M. French, E.B. Prothro and L.T. Bailes.
About 1889 while the young Scotchman, Dr. A.B. MacCurdy, was pastor, the little frame church was razed to make way for a second building. Only four pastors served the church until the need for a larger building was felt. In 1913, under the leadership of the Rev. James E.I Hughes, a third church building was erected.
Other early pastors include A.B. Vaughn, W.H. Dodson, G.W. Griffin. A.J. Wharton, R.A. Lee, William Thomas Tardy, Franz Marshall McConnell, Robert W. Merrill, Asa A. Duncan, James R, Magill, Oscar L. Smith, Russell, J. Pirkev, William H. Joyner, John L. Wharton, A.A. Dulaney and G.K. Keegan.