First Baptist Church, Vancouver

First Baptist Church, Vancouver

Housed in a beautiful old stone building in downtown Vancouver, First Baptist Church serves extremely diverse community, made up of children, teens, and adults, all from different social backgrounds. Its remarkable story began in a Vancouver pub – Blair’s Saloon on Abbott Street – in the year of 1886, when Vancouver had just been incorporated as a city of almost 5,000 residents. Back then, a small group of Baptists saw the increasing need to establish a place of worship for the booming city. On Sunday, June 6, they launched the inaugural Sunday School program, welcoming 30 children into the Blair’s Saloon Hall. The following Sunday, June 13, 1886, Blair’s Saloon along with most of the city were destroyed by fire.

Following the fire, two building lots were obtained from the Canadian Pacific Railway (on what is now 432 Main Street) to construct a dedicated space for worship. That modest edifice was 24 by 35 feet only and cost just $700 to build. The following March, the First Baptist Church was officially formed, but within months, the congregation outgrew the little building on Main Street. Hence a new church, seating about 800, had to be built at Hamilton and Dunsmuir Streets, which was dedicated on Sunday, September 15, 1887.

By the turn of the 20th century, the church's founders saw the importance of putting down permanent roots on the westside of Vancouver. In 1904, they bought its current lot on Burrard and Nelson Streets for $4,000. Before construction started, however, the church faced another setback: a fire erupted in the Sunday School rooms, damaging the roof and foundation.

On April 2, 1910, the cornerstone for the new church was finally laid, and on June 9, 1911, the new building was dedicated. During 1931 the sanctuary was destroyed by fire again, but was later rebuilt. The blaze broke out behind the organ, and destroyed most of the roof. For the third time, the congregation had to rebuild after a fire. Since then, the building has grown and changed along with its worshipers. It now continues to serve Vancouver from its key location on the westside and welcomes guests who genuinely want to join its holy fellowship.

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First Baptist Church on Map

Sight Name: First Baptist Church
Sight Location: Vancouver, Canada (See walking tours in Vancouver)
Sight Type: Religious

Walking Tours in Vancouver, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Vancouver

Create Your Own Walk in Vancouver

Creating your own self-guided walk in Vancouver is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Vancouver Downtown Walking Tour

Vancouver Downtown Walking Tour

Numerous historic and otherwise notable landmarks scattered throughout Downtown Vancouver make it a hot traveler's destination. Each such landmark is unique in itself and has a great deal of story to tell visitors, be it cultural history or simple amusement.

While in Downtown you can't miss the Vancouver Lookout. This observation deck lures you with its breathtaking scenery – the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Vancouver Introduction Walking Tour

Vancouver Introduction Walking Tour

A bustling seaport on the west coast of Canada, Vancouver is among the country's densest and most ethnically diverse cities. It is also one of British Columbia's youngest cities. Prior to the Europeans, the Vancouver area had been inhabited – for almost 10,000 years – by Aboriginal tribes: Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh (Burrard). The explorer Simon Fraser and his crew were...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Granville Island Walking Tour

Granville Island Walking Tour

Successfully transformed, back in the 1970s, from an industrial wasteland into one of the most beloved public spaces in Vancouver, Granville Island is now viewed as a premier artistic and cultural hub famous for its balance of functionality and flare. It is equally popular as a shopping destination, too, with a plethora of other attractions like art galleries, markets, and a brewery to boot....  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Vancouver Yaletown Walking Tour

Vancouver Yaletown Walking Tour

For many years, Yaletown was the thriving industrial heart of Vancouver. Today, this historic neighborhood looks unlike any other part of the city and is considered to be the home of Vancouver's "elite" society.

The Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre is a prominent landmark here, serving as a hub for art exhibitions and recreational activities. Its historic...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Gastown Walking Tour

Gastown Walking Tour

To get the feel of authentic Vancouver, head for the Gastown district. This is where the city was born: an ex-sailor turned gold prospector built an inn here in the late 19th century and a small settlement, mostly of mill workers, dockhands and merchants, sprang up around it. Many of the streets in Gastown are still cobblestoned and you will find lovely examples of Victorian buildings that have...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Vancouver Chinatown Walking Tour

Vancouver Chinatown Walking Tour

Vancouver's Chinatown is the second-largest Chinese-centered area in North America. As such, it has long attracted hordes of tourists with its expressive culture, inexpensive but delicious food, and fabulous traditional architecture.

The very first landmark that welcomes visitors entering Chinatown is the grand, ornate structure called the Millennium Gate. With its intricate architectural...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles

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