First Baptist Church of Orange
The First Baptist Church of Orange, founded in 1886, was one of the first five congregations founded in the town of Orange. The congregation moved into its own building in 1887, but, outgrowing that, bought land across the street and started construction of a new church building in 1893. That building is described in the National Register of Historic Places as “a fine example of Late Victorian architecture with Gothic and Queen Anne influences.” Changes made in 1912, moving the tower out and adding a gabled section, did not affect the overall Victorian character of the building. At the time of its nomination, it was the only remaining Victorian church surviving in the City of Orange. A succession of Baptist congregations used the church until 1992. It was repurposed as a restaurant, PJ’s Abbey, in 1994, and purchased by Marcus Avila in 2011.
Orange, Orange County
Images by Andrew Schmidt