Centennial Baptist Church
Historic church in Arkansas. Added to the National Register in 2003, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The Centennial Baptist Church is a historic church building at the corner of York and Columbia Streets in Helena, Arkansas. It is significant for its association with Elias Camp Morris (1855-1922), who was the pastor of the church from 1879 and who was a driving force in the establishment of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Morris served as the convention's president from 1895 until his death, and his church served functionally as the organization's headquarters. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2003.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | York and Columbia Streets, Helena, AR |
| County | Phillips County |
| Listed | Jul 31, 2003 |
| Listed for | Religion, Architecture, Black heritage |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 03001044 |
| Type of place | Protestant church building |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
Visiting
| Address | York and Columbia Streets, Helena, AR |
| Coordinates | 34.5256° N, 90.5908° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Helena | 35 listed places in Helena → · walking tour → |
| Nearest national park unit | Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument · 40 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | South Abutment Campground 30 miles · South Abutment Pavilion 31 miles · Bayou Point Day Use 31 miles |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Phillips County
Local history books for Helena
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Arkansas travel guides
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Centennial Baptist Church listed on the National Register?
Jul 31, 2003. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit Centennial Baptist Church?
Yes. Centennial Baptist Church is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Centennial Baptist Church?
York and Columbia Streets, Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas. The nearest national park unit is Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, 40 miles away.
Are there campgrounds near Centennial Baptist Church?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is South Abutment Campground, 30 miles away. South Abutment Pavilion is 31 miles away, and Bayou Point Day Use is 31 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Centennial Baptist Church?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Is there a wildfire near Centennial Baptist Church right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-10-17, nearest Monroe 296, 30 miles away.
Source: Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 03001044. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.