Renner First Baptist Church - Dallas
Renner, Renner Baptist Church, and Renner School
The First Baptist Church of Renner was started in the Renner School house in 1890. They met in the school house until 1897 when the Renner Baptist Church dedicated a building that was located on Dickerson Street in Renner. It was a wooden frame structure with one room that served all purposes. The building had an entrance in the north corner and another one on the west side. In 1925 a larger building was erected, which had a small square steeple and a covered entryway/porch. The doors were in the center. The congregation was very active. It was not on a circuit and had its own ministers. In 1963 a separate fellowship hall was added. Community elections were held in the fellowship hall.
In 1985 the Baptist Church building was moved to the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Aside from the two buildings in the historical parks, the only other remnant of Renner still in existence is the congregation of the Baptist church, which moved to a building on Davenport Street in North Dallas. In 1980 the name of the church was changed to Preston Highlands Baptist Church. The Renner Baptist Church congregation has a Texas State Historical Marker.
The street names also survived. The Baptist church was on Dickerson Street. Another street was named for Frank Jackson, who opened the first store. Renner Road, which runs from Murphy on the east to Waterview/ Independence Parkway in Richardson/Plano on the west, stops about a mile east of the old community it was named for.
The First Baptist Church of Renner was started in the Renner School house in 1890. They met in the school house until 1897 when the Renner Baptist Church dedicated a building that was located on Dickerson Street in Renner. It was a wooden frame structure with one room that served all purposes. The building had an entrance in the north corner and another one on the west side. In 1925 a larger building was erected, which had a small square steeple and a covered entryway/porch. The doors were in the center. The congregation was very active. It was not on a circuit and had its own ministers. In 1963 a separate fellowship hall was added. Community elections were held in the fellowship hall.
In 1985 the Baptist Church building was moved to the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Aside from the two buildings in the historical parks, the only other remnant of Renner still in existence is the congregation of the Baptist church, which moved to a building on Davenport Street in North Dallas. In 1980 the name of the church was changed to Preston Highlands Baptist Church. The Renner Baptist Church congregation has a Texas State Historical Marker.
The street names also survived. The Baptist church was on Dickerson Street. Another street was named for Frank Jackson, who opened the first store. Renner Road, which runs from Murphy on the east to Waterview/ Independence Parkway in Richardson/Plano on the west, stops about a mile east of the old community it was named for.
The old building of First Baptist Church of Renner in Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Services at the Renner Baptist Church. Photo used with permission of Frances Wells from the Frances Wells historic photo collection.
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
OF RENNER RENNER BAPTISTS ORGANIZED IN 1890 AND MET IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING FOR EIGHT YEARS. CHARTER MEMBERS WERE: P. F. AND KATE E. BINKLEY; ELIZABETH J., J. J., MARY A., AND R. F. BUTLER; MARY E. AND P. W. COLLIER; MARY L. DICKERSON; GEORGE B., J. P. AND NANCY E. JENNINGS; MARY A. McLARY; MARY E. MEASON; ROB C. AND MARGARET A. REYNOLDS. IN 1897, THE CONGREGATION BOUGHT THIS LOT AND ERECTED A CHURCH. THE PRESENT STRUCTURE WAS BUILT IN 1925. THE ONLY SURVIVING CHURCH IN RENNER, THIS PIONEER FELLOWSHIP REMAINS A FOCAL POINT IN THE COMMUNITY. Texas Historical marker, 1976 In 1980 the church name was changed to Preston Highlands Baptist Church and its new sanctuary was built in Dallas. The old church building was moved to the Farmers' Branch Historical Park. The Renner schoolhouse is in Old City Park in Dallas. |
