Church History
Established in 1837 the Collinsville Baptist Church is the oldest Baptist Church in DeKalb County. It has an interesting history. Its beginning was as Rocky Mount Church, located two miles south of Collinsville. Elder John Gilliland was moderator. During the years 1837 to 1845 records indicate a difference of opinion on the mission responsibility of the church. In 1845 a group from this church met and organized the Baptist Church of Christ Pleasant Grove. This group included W.C. Mynotte, Aaron Hancock, James Mitchell, Harris Brock, Joe Brock, E.T. Goggans, T.B. Watts, Van Hall, Jesse Glazner, and others. W.C. Mynotte was elected pastor and T.B Watts, clerk. The deacons were James Mitchell, T.B. Watts and Joe Brock.
The first building was erected in 1845 and was probably located north of town at a place known to many as Reed Hill. The second building was built about 1870, probably near where Foodland is located. The third building was erected in 1886. In 1896 the Pleasant Grove Church changed the name to Collinsville Baptist Church. Churches that grew out of this church include Mt. Lookout, Mt. Vernon and Shady Grove.
A Sabbath School was organized at the church in 1888, and a baptistry was added in 1896. On June 18, 1910 the church voted to accept a lot for a pastor's home, donated by the Ladies Aid Society (WMU). The present building was constructed in 1928 and dedicated on April 7, 1929. The property on which the church is located was purchased from Mr. Alfred Collins. In order to pay for the property the church voted to sell the pastorium!
The BYPU (now church training) State Convention was held at the Collinsville Baptist Church in April 1908. (It was first organized in this church in 1894) At that time Collinsville Baptist had the second largest BYPU in Alabama. A Cradle Roll Department was added in 1911.
The WMU (formerly the Ladies Aid Society) was organized in this church in 1900. Mrs. G.Y. Newman was the first president. In 1914 she organized a WMU at First Baptist Church, Fort Payne. She was the first associational WMU superintendent, a position she held for many years. The first Sunbeam Band in DeKalb County was organized at the Collinsville Baptist Church before 1914 when they helped organize one at First Baptist Church, Fort Payne.
On August 1, 1937 the Collinsville Baptist Church celebrated its Centennial. Rev. V. L. Wyatt, a former pastor, gave the centennial sermon. In August 1987 a 150th Anniversary celebration was held. Former pastor Rev. John Jeffers brought the message.
On Sunday, October 8, 1996, a historic marker was unveiled and dedicated on the church lawn. The marker denotes the importance of our location as an Indian mound, an inn and a church. The marker was sponsored by The Study Club of Collinsville, The Town of Collinsville, Landmarks of DeKalb County, and Alabama Historical Association.
The Indian mound on which Collinsville Baptist Church in Collinsville, Alabama, stands is a site of deep historical and cultural significance. Originally used by Native Americans—likely from the Woodland or Mississippian periods and later by the Cherokee—the mound held ceremonial and strategic value due to its location near Little Wills Creek. In the early 1800s, Cherokee captain A.H. Lamar and his wife established a trading post and stagecoach stop there. Around 1842, Alfred Collins, for whom the town is named, purchased the property and built an inn atop the mound. The site changed hands again in 1924 when Collinsville Baptist Church acquired it, constructing the current church building in 1926. A historical marker now commemorates the mound’s layered past—as an Indigenous earthwork, a pioneer inn, and a place of worship—highlighting its continued role in the community’s evolving story.
Collinsville Baptist Church, located in the heart of Collinsville, Alabama, has a rich and layered history that reflects both the spiritual and cultural evolution of the region. The church was formally organized in 1837, making it one of the oldest religious institutions in DeKalb County. In its earliest days, the congregation met in log buildings and homes, growing steadily alongside the fledgling town. The current church building, constructed in 1926, sits atop an ancient Native American mound, symbolizing the continuity of sacred space across centuries. Before the church’s construction, the mound had served as a trading post and inn—established by Cherokee war captain A.H. Lamar and later developed by Alfred Collins, the town’s namesake. These layers of occupation illustrate how Collinsville Baptist Church became not only a center for worship but also a keeper of local heritage.
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the church played a central role in the life of the Collinsville community. It hosted revivals, community gatherings, and Sunday schools that helped shape the spiritual foundation of generations. Over the years, the church has undergone numerous renovations and expansions, reflecting both its growth and its commitment to serving the evolving needs of its members. A historical marker placed in 1996 honors the site as the “Indian Mound, Inn, and Church Site,” a testament to the church’s place in a landscape rich with Native American history, frontier settlement, and religious continuity. Today, Collinsville Baptist Church remains a vibrant congregation, deeply rooted in tradition while actively engaging in contemporary ministry and outreach.