The First Baptist Church, also known as the Bell Towers, is a historic

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * C ...

complex built in 1931 in Bakersfield, California and presently used as an

office building An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific dut ...

. The structure was placed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

(NRHP) on January 2, 1979.

Structure

Constructed in 1931, the structure was built of reinforced concrete, with the outside finish, simulating brick, created by a poured cast. Red, Spanish tile shingles cover the roof. A prominent, 70 foot (21 meter) bell tower stands in the center of the south facade, forming part of what was the vestibule and

narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of early Christian and Byzantine basilicas and churches consisting of the entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave, opposite the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex ...

of the church. The south side of the church also features large

white oak The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera ''C ...

doors with decorative arches above them. Blind arches and

mullion A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid supp ...

s rise to the roof level, giving the structure its Romanesque character. A single story

arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...

joins the wings of the building and surrounds a landscaped courtyard.Chris Brewer, Historic Resources Inventory, State of California -- The Resources Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation, May 10, 1984; copy accessed from City of Bakersfield Cultural Resources Survey Downtown Area, located in the Local History room of the Beale Memorial Library, Bakersfield, California. The southwest side of the complex is the original

fellowship hall A fellowship hall is a large room or suite in a church building where certain activities in the church building are done, such as certain dinners, breakfasts, meetings, workshops, etc. It gets its name from the fact that the people there at the ch ...

, built in a

Mission Revival The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...

style. The structure is characterized by lofty arched windows on its west side; on its south side is a large arched window, originally a door, flanked by smaller arched windows. The old fellowship hall and church are connected by a two-story connecting building that continues the overall Mission Revival appearance.

Significance

Located on a prominent spot in downtown Bakersfield, the First Baptist Church structure is considered one of the finest examples of a

decorative concrete Decorative concrete is the use of concrete as not simply a utilitarian medium for construction but as an aesthetic enhancement to a structure, while still serving its function as an integral part of the building itself such as floors, walls, dri ...

structure in the

San Joaquin Valley The San Joaquin Valley ( ; es, Valle de San Joaquín) is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies south of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the San Joaquin River. It comprises seven ...

and is a prominent landmark in Bakersfield. It is the only religious structure of its era to survive the

1952 Kern County earthquake The 1952 Kern County earthquake occurred on July 21 in the southern San Joaquin Valley and measured 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale. The main shock occurred at 4:52 am Pacific Daylight Time (11:52 UTC), killed 12 people, injured hundreds ...

that destroyed many of downtown Bakersfield's historic structures. It is also one of the few buildings in the area to remain relatively unaltered over the ensuing years.

References

{{Authority control Churches in Kern County, California Buildings and structures in Bakersfield, California National Register of Historic Places in Kern County, California Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in California Churches completed in 1931 20th-century Baptist churches in the United States Tourist attractions in Bakersfield, California Mission Revival architecture in California Romanesque Revival church buildings in California

Structure

Significance

See also

References