History

In the early spring of 1850, pioneers left their homes in Missouri to make their journey by covered wagons over the long, dangerous trail across the plains, over the mountains and through treacherous streams. They arrived in Salt Lake City where they spent a winter of extreme hardsh ip. The following spring they continued to press westward to Oregon, finally reaching the area of Lane County in 1851. On July 1, 1852 in the newly constructed log cabin home of Mahlon and Frances Harlow, seven of these hardy pioneer men and women joined together to form a church.

Their pastor was Rev. Vincent Snelling, the first Baptist minister on the Pacific Coast. The church was formed before Eugene was a city and seven years before Oregon became a state. With only seven people at its birth, First Baptist Church has now developed into a vibrant and growing congregation of more than 2,500 members. Its ministry has touched thousands of lives throughout the community and the world.

The Harlow family donated a huge portion of land to FBC, which has been developed into an excellent camping program. Each summer over 3,000 children experience the thrill of Christian camping.

Even though the church has celebrated over 150 years, the ministry of FBC is still grounded upon God’s Word and remains founded upon the principles with which it first began. We have just moved into a new and larger building designed to facilitate a growing ministry of reaching the ever-changing needs of our community and the world.