First Baptist Church of Silverton

Silverton itself was only months old when its churches began. Thomas J. Braidfoot filed on the section that became the townsite in August 1890, and the following spring he and associates, most of them from Della Plain in Floyd County, formed a townsite company. The name, submitted by his wife, reportedly came from the silvery reflections of the area's shallow lakes. When Briscoe County organized on March 15, 1892, Silverton beat the rival townsites of Linguish and Tarlton for the county seat, and a two-story frame courthouse followed in 1893.

What the plaque says

First Baptist Church of Silverton In the fall of 1891, six months before the official founding of the town of Silverton, a group of citizens met together to form a non-denominational community Sunday School. Early meetings were held in a mercantile store and the county courthouse. Later, the Presbyterian church hosted all denominations in town until each congregation was able to build its own structure. Under the leadership of W.S. Riddell, the First Baptist Church of Christ was organized on April 2, 1882, with sixteen charter members: J.H. & Sarah Askey, A.N. & Jane Askey, W.S. & Vici Riddell, Isaac H. & Sallie Watkins, A. Wright, J.A. & Lucy Northcutt, S.P. & Lee Huss, W.A.P. Matthews, and Mr. & Mrs. W.H. Stovall. By 1900 plans were made for the construction of a sanctuary and soon a one-room structure was built. Throughout its history, this congregation has served the community with a variety of worship, educational, and missionary outreach programs. Continued growth in membership led to the acquisition of property and the construction of additional facilities over the years. A part of Silverton history for over a century, First Baptist Church continues to uphold the traditions of its founders. (1992)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway — 15 mi
  Red canyons below the Caprock escarpment where the Texas State Bison Herd, descended from calves Mary Ann Goodnight saved in 1878, has right of way on the park roads.
• Bob Wills Museum — 24 mi
  The old Turkey school, now holding Bob Wills's boots, hats, his father's fiddle and his barbershop tools, in the cotton town that fills each April for Bob Wills Day.

More markers nearby

• First Methodist Church of Silverton — steps away
• Miner Crawford — 0.3 mi
• Briscoe County — 0.3 mi
• Site of Celtic Post Office — 7.9 mi