Saint Phillip's Baptist Church

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Saint Phillip’s Baptist Church has stood on the corner of North Capitol and K Street, NE since its dedication in 1892.  With its deep red brick façade, brownstone trim, and pitched gable roof, the Church is reminiscent of Queen Anne styled architecture, a design that was developed by architect Appleton P. Clark Jr.

Saint Phillips Baptist Church was established by a group of individuals from the African-American community living on St. Phillip’s hill (around the area north of MacArthur Boulevard, NW).  Before this Church was built, the community had prayer meetings that moved from house to house, took place in a local school, and later on, in a smaller church that was built by the congregation. 

Before being the Saint Phillip’s Baptist Church, the building was home to three previous Protestant groups.  The first group, the North Capitol Street Methodist Episcopal Church, originally constructed the building.  The church was then sold to its second group, the Full Gospel Assembly of God, in 1927.  Following them was the Bethel Pentacostal Assembly of God, who purchased it in 1938, and they would be the last group in the building before it was sold to the Saint Philip’s Baptist Church in 1948.

Before purchasing the building, Saint Phillip’s Baptist Church had moved from St. Phillip’s hill to Florida Avenue, NW in 1941.  Their original home on St. Phillip’s hill developed into a wealthy, white residential area that forced out many people from the original communities living there, including the Church. 

This site is significant because it tells an important story about the ways in which race and wealth have influenced residential patterns in Washington, DC.  

DC Inventory: June 27, 1974