First Baptist Church Of Haw River 1894 The first known gathering of Baptists in Haw River was a little group that met in the one room public meeting house constructed by Thomas HOLT and Adolphus MOORE. A Sunday School was active before 1886 when the forming of a church was first considered. This church was completed in 1892 and was admitted to the Mount Zion Association in 1893. Most of the records of the church's early years have been lost some contend they were used as fill when the new sanctuary was constructed in the 1950s. The first church building was erected on a tract of land on the "Durham Road" (old #10) which had been purchased from Mrs Deal McCRACKEN. Rev. J.C. HOCUTT was the first pastor and oversaw the formation of the church and construction of the building. The church was solidly constructed of heart pine timber in a plain board design. In 1943 the Albert PURCELL house which sat next to the church was purchased for use as a parsonage. The present brick sanctuary was designed to seat 350 people and was completed in 1954. By 1956 an education building with classrooms, nursery, a kitchen, and a recreation department was finished. The total cost of the construction was $85.000. In 1968 the church changed its name to First Baptist Church Of Haw River. The parsonage and the SIMMONS house were torn down in 1973 to make room for an educational building. Rev H.D. BOOTH was pastor at the time ground was broken for this construction but he was called to another charge in the late 1970s and died soon after. In 1987 the educational building was rededicated in honor of Rev. BOOTH. Today First Baptist Church of Haw River has over 300 members. Sources: Haw River Historical Society My mother lived in the SIMMONS house in the early 1930s.