3375 DRUCK VALLEY ROAD
NOVEMBER 3, 2002
150TH ANNIVERSARY
The church’s beginnings date back before 1850, when traveling preachers held Baptist services in York. A traveling minister, the Rev. George M. Slaysman, who was also a dentist, established a congregation in York in 1852.
He rented the third floor hall of the Hartman Building on Continental Square for Services. He hired a carpenter to make the seats and a pulpit. John Hartman provided a Bible and donated the hall, rent free, for a year. The congregation, which included three men and eight women at the time, became affiliated with the Central Union Association in 1851.
They broke ground for the first church building in 1852, on the corner of South George and Baptist Alley, between Princess Street and College Avenue. Rev. Slaysman designed the building, raised most of the money needed for materials, supervised the building and did much of the work himself. The building was completed in 1856.
At the outset of the Civil War the church was used as a barracks for the Pennsylvania Army unit called the Duquesne Grays. When ordered to the front, the soldiers inquired about their bill for using the church, but Rev. Slaysman told them there would be no charge. After their departure, they sent the Communion Table Bible, which the congregation still uses today.
The congregation worshipped in that building until 1927, when it was sold for $43,000. With the money, the congregation bought three lots for $6,000 on the corner of South Queen and Springdale Road. The site was dedicated in 1928. First Baptist occupied this site from1928 to 2000.
On April 30, 2000 there was a ground breaking for the present-day church at 3375 Druck Valley Road. The first service was held on Christmas Eve 2000. Today, the congregation has 190 members. The Rev. Timothy Munson is the pastor. With about 150 in attendance.
