1538 Waughtown Street, Waughtown Baptist Church, 1919, 1958

One of Forsyth County’s oldest congregations, the church was organized in 1878 from the disbanded c. 1820 Waughtown Union Church and Sunday School. The congregation met informally in either local homes or one of John P. Nissen’s warehouses for a decade before it was legally incorporated in 1891 with W. L. Sink. W. L. Cook, C. A. Clodfelter, and W. W. Phillips as officers. The first structure was built in 1896 near the streetcar line, but membership grew rapidly during the 1910s, resulting in construction of a new building. The Chapel was completed by 1920 on this prominent site across from the Nissen Wagon Works. (The lot was donated by E. L. and Ida Vogler.) It was renovated by Frank L. Blum Construction in 1977.

One of Winton-Salem’s finest Neoclassical Revival structures of that period, the two-story brick structure is fronted by a monumental tetrastyle portico with robust stuccoed Ionic columns and matching pilasters. Topped by a central dome, it features pedimented wings; round-head arch windows with spring stones and keystones; an entry pediment with a garland in the frieze; oculi in the upper dome base; and cast-stone sills, lintels, and water table.

A second sanctuary is attached to the Chapel via a hyphen near the rear. This larger sanctuary (1958) is a two-story brick Colonial Revival style design with arcaded portico; pilasters; a broken pediment at entry; and a pointed steeple with arcaded base. It was designed by the architectural firm of Lashmit, James, Brown, and Pollock. The 1949 three-story rear classroom addition was designed by local architect Hall Crews.

Neoclassical Revival style (1895- 1955) – The facade is dominated by a full-height portico whose roof is supported by classical columns, usually with either Ionic or Corinthian capitals. Symmetrically balanced windows with a center entrance. This term is usually reserved for monumental structures.