First Baptist Church in El Dorado was organized April 30, 1871 by Rev. T. D. Grow, an evangelist supported by the Baptist Home Missionary society of the state and by the Walnut Valley Association. Prior to that, they worshipped in the homes, at the court house and other places where services were conducted by evangelists on occasional visits into the settlement. The original congregation had a member of eighteen, and Rev. Mr. Grow, in August, 1871, was called as a “half time” pastor; that is, for services twice monthly. The congregation pledged $200 toward the payment of his salary—the association paying the remainder. In March, 1876, Rev. C. G. Manley was called to the pastorate and continued until November of the following year, services being regularly held in the old stone court house. He was succeeded by Rev. G. W. Melton and the following spring, a revival, which the Baptists conducted in the Presbyterian church, resulted in an acquisition of memberships sufficient to cause the erection of the first church building. Consequently in the spring of 1880 a church building was begun on a $75 lot at Star and First Avenue. The building was not dedicated until the following December. In 1920, the congregation had grown too numerous and its duties too widely diversified for the old church’s accommodations and a movement was begun for the erection of the present splendid building at 123-125 West Central Avenue. This building, attractive of architecture, carefully arranged for church services, Sunday school, young people’s and other work, was completed in 1926. The congregation has a church property valued at $135,000. During the pastorate of Rev. Edwin McFarlane a considerable amount of indebtedness was paid.*

*Butler County’s Eighty Years, 1855-1935 by Jessie Perry Stratford