First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church, Savannah's oldest standing house of worship, was designed by Elias Carter and completed in 1833. The congregation dates to 1800. In 1922 the front of the building was extended, and cupola removed, and the edifice covered with limestone. Under the leadership of Sylvanus Landrum, First Baptist Church was one of the few southern churches to remain open throughout the Civil War. Notable pastors include W.L. Pickard, later president of Mercer University; Norman Cox, executive secretary of the Historical Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention; and Arthur Jackson, executive secretary of the Georgia Baptist Foundation.