HISTORY: The First Baptist Church of Boerne was organized on Aug. 14, 1898 by Rev. J. M. Mizzell with six charter members. Early records are very meager, and almost the next minutes reveal that on Oct. 28, 1906 the Church was re-organized by Rev. J. B. Cole and assisted by Rev. D. P. Airheart with seventeen constituent members. Rev. Cole became the first pastor serving the church until August 1907.

Rev. J. J. Maurer, Assocional Missionary, who served the little group of Baptists occasionally until they could secure a new pastor, he appointed a building committee to solicit funds and to select a suitable building lot. In Oct. 1908 Rev. John H. Pool was called as pastor.

At this time the congregation held their services in the Methodist Church. Rev. W. B. Hearndon shepharded the flock from October 1909 until July 1912. Then for some four years the church appears to have been without a pastor, and was served occasionally by Rev. W. H. Price, the Associational Missionary.

In August of 1916 Rev. Charles H. Heimsath was secured as pastor and upon application by the Church the State Executive board granted the church assistance in support of their pastor.

Records show that the original building lot north of the court house was deeded to the Executive Board of San Antonio Association by John C. and Mary Reinhard for a consideration of $150.00 to be held in trust for the church until such time as the church could build. The records further show that the Executive board of the San Antonio association gave the Boerne Baptist Church a quit claim deed for this lot for $100.00. Then for reasons not recorded the building lot was sold on Feb. 5, 1917 for $250.00 and the present location on S. Main Street a lot 140 by 50 feet with an old stone house was acquired by the congregation for a consideration of $600. Rev. C.H. Heimsath resigned on Sept. 22, 1918 and was soon succeeded by Rev. R. H. Miller.

During Rev. Miller's pastorate a Sunday School was organized and the services of the church were held in the old Foote building on West Main Street.

In the summer of 1919 Rev. R. H. Miller laid the foundation of the Baptist Church, but owing to financial difficulties was unable to carry the project any farther. In 1920 another attempt at raising the walls of the building when financial difficulties again interrupted the work. The Rev. S. P. Harris was called as pastor and he was successful in obtaining a gift of $1000 and a four year loan of $1000. With the gifts and the cash on hand Rev. Harris and the congregation set to work to finish the church building. It was completed in May, 1923.

In 1948 the Sunday School Annex was completed. Air conditioning put in the church and many other improvements were made. Then in 1972 the building was remodelled by adding a covered front porch and a steeple on the roof. Rev. Allen Cearley was minister at that time.

The Baptist Church sold the building in the 1980's after moving to its present facilities on School Street. The S. Main building was converted to commercial uses, being an office, a movie house, a flower shop and finally a specialty furniture store called HeyDay.

Source: "Historical sketch of the First Baptist Church of Boerne", BOERNE STAR, Aug. 18, 1949; Dedication Ceremonies Planned", BOERNE STAR, Mar 9, 1972 -from Boerne Public Library files.- June, 1999

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