Blog post by Randi Richardson
Second Baptist Church on South Rogers, 2019.
The Second Baptist Church of Bloomington was established in 1872 with eleven founding members. In 1873, members purchased land at 8th and Rogers for a church structure, a frame building that was not completed until 1890. Until that time, members worshipped in various homes.
A new Second Baptist Church on the same piece of property was scheduled for dedication on Sunday, August 2, 1914. It was a day of rejoicing for the colored citizens of Bloomington led by their pastor, Rev. Moses M. Porter. At the time of the dedication Porter had been pastor of the church for five years and stood high as a Christian minister and leader. He and his wife, Lena (Kirk) Porter, a teacher in the Bloomington public schools, were said to do great work and deemed worthy of much praise. A large crowd was expected from all over the state as well as Kentucky.
The new church at the time of the dedication bore the distinction of being the only stone edifice erected and owned by an Indiana colored congregation. It was built of Bedford stone with a full basement and a seating capacity for 500. Thomas Gordon donated the stone and hauled it to the site by horse and wagon. Members of the church took pride in the fact that the architect of the building was a colored man, Samuel Plato of Marion, Indiana, who had a fine reputation in his chosen profession. He had, in fact, had charge of building some of the finest white churches in the state. Marcus Blakemore of Anderson, Indiana, did the electric work.
That church still stands today and has an active congregation. Rev. Dr. Bruce R. Rose is the current pastor, only the 18th since the church was established.
Sources:
Second Baptist Church: Our History, https://www.sbcbloomington.org/about-us.
Indianapolis (IN) Recorder, August 1, 1914, p. 1.