Historical Marker Program

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Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Tulsa County
Location: 419 North Elgin Avenue, Tulsa
Topics: Religion/Philosophy

Mt. Zion Baptist Church was organized in 1909 in a one-room frame school building located in the 300 block of North Hartford under the Revered Sandy Lyons. Church Founders included Mr. Aaron Ellis, Mrs. Kate Bell Baldridge, Reverend Alexander Brown, Mrs. Georgia Brown, Mrs. Cornelia Dallas, Mrs. Mary A. Grayson, Mrs. Hannah Hale, Mr. Jim Hale, Mrs. Ella Bell Johnson, Mrs. Caroline Lollis, Mrs. Ella Suggs, Mrs. Ida Rector, Mrs. Jeanette E. Webb and Mrs. Nellie Brown Wharton. Soon after Reverend R.A. Whitaker assumed the pulpit at Mt. Zion, the congregation was forced to move from the school building with only three days notice. Hardships, discouragement and disappointment would not deter the congregation and a permanent church home was erected at 419 North Elgin.The first service was held in the new $92,000 church on April 4, 1921. Nearly one month later, the imposing structure of Mount Zion was reduced to ashes during the Tulsa Race Riot on June 1, 1921. It took twenty-one years, until November 23, 1942, for the original mortgage of $50,000 to be retired. Reverend J. H. Dotson immediately started a Building Fund for a new church. W. S. and J. C. Latimer were architects and members of Mount Zion. Graduating from Booker T. Washington's famed Tuskegee Institute, the two brothers completed the drawings and plans for the new church. Bit by bit, Mt. Zion's members paid for rebuilding the basement of the old church and a new church. On Sunday, October 21, 1952, dedication services were held in "The Church That Faith Built." Nearly one year later, Rev. Dotson's health began to fail and the Reverend G. Calvin McCutchen accepted the leadership of Mt. Zion. Dr. McCutchen, serving longer than any other pastor, led the church in paying off the mortgage of the church. Under his leadership numerous improvements have been made including a nursery, the J. H. Dotson Memorial Scholarship Fund was established for Mt. Zion college students, and the addition of a multi-purpose facility known as the Family Life Center. The Center was renamed to the G. Calvin McCutchen Sr. Family Life Center in honor of Dr. McCutchen in 1998.