Pompano church dates to early 1900s

The First Baptist Church of Pompano Beach really lives up to its name. Nearly a century old, it was among the very first churches in Broward County. The church’s congregation held its first organizational meeting in May 1915, the same year Broward was incorporated as a county. There were 24 members, led by Rev. S.P. Mahoney. In its early years, congregants met in a “community church” building shared by Methodists and Presbyterians when traveling ministers arrived in town. The Baptists held services there twice a month, until they erected their own church in 1922. It cost $5,000.

Over the years, the church grew. A Sunday school was built in the ’40s. A remodeled sanctuary was dedicated in March 2015. Today, the church boasts 1,800 members.

Staff researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report. — Robert Nolin