Q. Where are the oldest African-American churches in Gainesville located?

The three oldest African-American churches in Gainesville are  Friendship Baptist Church, Fort Clark Baptist Church, and  Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church. Images of Friendship Baptist Church and Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church are available through our Heritage Collection. 

The Friendship Baptist Church is one of the important churches in the black community. Originally built in 1888, the building was destroyed by fire in 1911. However, Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church and Fort Clark Baptist Church are the oldest black congregations in Gainesville. Both churches were established in 1867 just after the end of the Civil War.