The Hennepin Baptist Church was organized on July 17, 1897 at Homer, Indian Territory. A traveling preacher named Bro. Tubbs was moderator of the organizational meeting. There were eight charter members — six women and two men. The church met two Sundays a month at Homer and two Sundays in the school building near Eight Mile and the cemetery. In October of 1900, the people of Hennepin wanted to move the school building into town, but the move was opposed by those who lived near Eight Mile. A vote was taken and was in favor of moving, but the building mysteriously burned the night before the move was accomplished.
A new school house was built in Hennepin and that is where the church met. There was part time preaching with Sunday School each week, and for a time they shared the space with the local Pentecostal and Methodist congregations.
In 1937 the WPA started work on a new Hennepin school and the old one was razed. The congregation voted to build a church and Dr. E.L. Morton deeded the land where the present church is. The new church was completely finished and dedicated in the spring of 1939. The church building doubled as the Hennepin school until the new school building was completed. The immediate years were ones of struggle, but war in the 1940s brought revival to the church. In 1943 while Bro. Little was pastor, the first Vacation Bible School was held.
In 1954, Pete Petty was called to the ministry from this church. He is the only minister known to be produced by this church.
The old building was torn down in August of 1959. Construction was begun and the church met in the new auditorium on December 27, 1959. A fellowship hall was added and a new parsonage was built in the late 1980s.
In present day, the location consists of the church building, the parsonage, and a Life Center that was completed in 2020.
Source Credit: Arbuckle Baptist Association
