First Baptist Church

The church was designed by French-Canadian Edelbert Morissette, who bought a homestead in 1908. Unable to make homesteading work, Morissette decided to move his family to Connecticut in 1921, where he had previously lived. They returned to Hardin in 1924 and Morissette lived here until he died in 1949. It is not clear whether he was a Baptist, but the congregation employed his services to design the church, knowing that he was a skilled builder (in Connecticut he worked as a bridge builder and he built his first home here out of logs). Construction began in December 1930 and was completed in April 1931. It was built in large part by members of the congregation, who also donated money for the project.

The Craftsman style emerged from the Arts and Crafts Movement of the 19th century, which stressed the value of craftsmanship over manufactured goods. The church reflects this ideal. It was built by hand using simple materials and relatively inexpensive to construct.

"Arts and Crafts." Chicago Architecture Center. Accessed July 21, 2020. http://www.architecture.org/learn/resources/architecture-dictionary/entry/arts-and-crafts.

Redding, Jackie. "First Baptist Church." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. April 11, 1991. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/91000369_text.