…that early on our church was known as the Second Baptist Church of Reading? On August 14, 1832, 16 people met to establish a church in the West Parish. The First Baptist Church was in South Parish – now known as Wakefield. Services were held at the Reading Academy.

…in 1832, when a group of 16 men and women decided to establish a church in the West Parish (now known as Town of Reading), they met in the home of Bro. Amos Evans. Bro. Evans had been urged by the established church not to let them meet with him. His response was “My house is paid for, and they can meet here if they wish.” In 1834 the Salem Street Baptist Church was built on the corner of Linden and Woburn Street, and renamed “First Baptist Church of Reading”.

…when the Baptists saw the need for a larger meeting space in 1832, Kate Trowe, along with a group of women, raised $600 to purchase more land at the corner of Woburn and Linden Streets. Under the leadership of Pastor Rev. J.C. Ewera a new Victorian structure was built. The new church was dedicated on December 19, 1883.

… The membership of the First Baptist Church reached 700 in 1932. An addition was added to provide an assembly room on the first floor with classrooms and offices on the second floor.

A large group of members, who lived in Wilmington, were released from their membership in 1956 to help form the Wilmington Baptist Church.