BEULAH FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

Beulah First Baptist Church began in 1933 in what was then known as Camp Walton. At the time, there was no dedicated place of worship for Black residents, and members had no alternative but to gather in their homes. Their growing congregation soon required a place of its own. After the town was renamed Fort Walton in 1937, the Oakridge Development Company and the family of town founder John T. Brooks donated land and a small one-room building for worship. In 1938, The Colored Community Church was founded with Reverend W. Garrett as its first pastor. Services were held at night to fit members’ work schedules. Due to racial segregation, the church hosted the community’s first school for Black children in 1938. In 1946, it became Beulah First Baptist Church. Growing in property and membership, the church welcomed its ninth and longest-serving pastor, Reverend Scottie L. Thigpen, in 1981, who led for 43 years. On its 75th anniversary, the church broke ground on a new sanctuary, holding its first service on September 27, 2015. For generations, Beulah First Baptist Church has served the community as a pillar of faith, education, outreach, and opportunity in the City of Fort Walton Beach.