First Baptist Church
Historic church in South Carolina. Built 1859. Added to the National Register in 1971, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The James Petigru Boyce Chapel is a historic church building at 1306 Hampton Street in Columbia, South Carolina. It is a Greek Revival building built in 1859. A convention met here on December 17, 1860, whose delegates voted unanimously for South Carolina to secede from the United States, leading to the American Civil War. It was designated a National Historic Landmark as First Baptist Church, the role it played at the time. The building is part of the facilities complex of the First Baptist Church, Columbia- a Southern Baptist megachurch.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 1306 Hampton St., Columbia, SC |
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | Jan 25, 1971 |
| Listed for | Politics and government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 71000800 |
| Built | 1859 · more from the 1850s |
| Type of place | Protestant church building |
| Style | Greek Revival architecture |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 1306 Hampton St., Columbia, SC |
| Website | fbccola.com ↗ |
| Coordinates | 34.0057° N, 81.0332° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Columbia | 160 listed places in Columbia → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Congaree National Park · 22 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Longleaf Campground 17 miles · Congaree Picnic Shelter 17 miles · Bluff Hike In Camping 17 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 2 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Richland County
Local history books for Columbia
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Guidebooks to historic places in South Carolina
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was First Baptist Church listed on the National Register?
Jan 25, 1971. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was First Baptist Church built?
1859, in the Greek Revival architecture style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit First Baptist Church?
Yes. First Baptist Church is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is First Baptist Church?
1306 Hampton St., Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The nearest national park unit is Congaree National Park, 22 miles away.
Source: Congaree National Park
Are there historic photographs or drawings of First Baptist Church?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for First Baptist Church?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near First Baptist Church?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Longleaf Campground, 17 miles away. Congaree Picnic Shelter is 17 miles away, and Bluff Hike In Camping is 17 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at First 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 First Baptist Church right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-10-17, nearest Harry Hampton East Csp Rx, 17 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 71000800. 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. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.