Marker Details

Marker Text: In 1903, state evangelist Livingston T. Mays of the Baptist General Convention of Texas held a tent revival meeting at the corner of Tuam and Fannin, with 32 local Baptists, including many from existing congregations, forming a new church and calling Mays to be pastor. They built a sanctuary at the site of the tent revival and in March of 1904, adopted the name Tuam Avenue Baptist Church.

The church grew quickly and, with more than 300 members by 1920, purchased a new site for a temporary structure designed by architect Alfred Finn. Renaming themselves South Main Baptist Church, members hired the noted firm Sanguinet, Staats, Hedrick & Gottlieb as architects for a new campus in 1924. The design evolved, beginning with Spanish and Moorish influences, and was completed in 1930 with strong Northern Italian elements. The congregation, having grown to nearly 1,500, dedicated its new structure in March 1930 with week-long services led by Dr. George W. Truett, a prominent Baptist leader.



The campus grew, along with the congregation, which expanded its outreach in 1955 with radio and television broadcasts of services. Following World War II, the congregation’s commitment to local and national mission churches increased, and the church worked in cooperation with the Union Baptist Association.



South Main’s many outreach efforts have included ministries for non-English speaking immigrants, with services in Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Cambodian and Chinese. With a library and extensive Sunday School and Bible Study programs, the multicultural church has emphasized education throughout its history, with a continued commitment to independent religious thought and community service. (2003)





Incised on back of South Main Baptist Church marker:



Pastors of Tuam Baptist Church

Livingston T. Mays 1903-1906

Charles T. Alexander 1906-1907

John Wheeling Loving 1908-1911

Amos Dempsey Sparkman 1911-1917

Montrose Madison Wolf 1918-1920



Pastors of South Main Baptist Church

Montrose Madison Wolf 1920-1937

E. Hermond Westmoreland 1938-1971

Kenneth Leon Chafin 1972-1982

William Lewis Turner 1985-2002

Stephen C. Wells 2003-

The spirit of South Main Baptist Church is a warm, a confident, a dedicated purpose to accomplish God’s will and to strive toward the ideals set by the Master. High purpose makes great people. So long as this spirit rules, the church will continue its useful ministry. J. W. E. Stephen, 1962