First Baptist Church of Johnson City

In 1879, on July 19-20 or August 16-17, seven members formed the Missionary Baptist Church of Christ, present First Baptist Church. The Rev. James E. Bell (b. 1843) held services in the schoolhouse. Lumber for the original church building, erected here in 1900, was hauled in wagons from Austin. A 5,500-square feet building dedicated in 1951 and destroyed by fire in 1966 was replaced by the present structure in 1968. Some members of President Lyndon B. Johnson's family attended this church. In 1978 mission work of the church expanded to include sponsorship of Pedernales Valley Mission. (1979)