The Town of Halton Hills wants to bless the historic First Baptist Church (FBC) with heritage designation.
FBC is arguably the most prominent feature in downtown Georgetown, with its spire piercing the sky over the area.
Prolific Canadian architect Henry Langley designed the church, according to the Town’s report on the property. The Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada describes him as the “dean of ecclesiastical architecture in Ontario during the last half of the 19th century.”
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church’s sleek tower in Guelph may have inspired the design of the FBC’s steeple. Langley may have also taken design cues from St. John’s Anglican Church in Ancaster. First Baptist and St. John’s both feature wider, triangular makeups at their bases.
The church was officially dedicated in 1870, a year after construction began. But a century later, the church was closed and its congregation was absorbed into St. Paul’s Baptist Church on Mountainview Road.
The property has exchanged hands between several owners. At one point it housed the Halton Hills Kinder School and has also operated as a karate dojo.
The staff report about FBC points to its "Gothic revival" features as one of the reasons to designate it. This style of architecture was popular in Canada between the 1830s and 1900. One of the ways a layperson can spot a Gothic revival building is by checking to see if it has lancet windows, which are typically narrow and have a pointed arch at the top. FBC has several.
The report further states that the church has “a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit” and is an “example of a style, type, expression, material, or construction method.”
The church’s soaring spire and steeply pitched roof give the building heritage qualities. The building’s connection with its architect, Henry Langley, is mentioned extensively in the report, adding additional historical attributes.
Town staff intends to have further discussions with the owner of the building before the potential designation goes before council.
