The First Baptist Congregational Church was built in the Gothic Revival style by architect Gurdon P. Randall between 1869 and 1871. The church is notable for its amphitheater style seating and over 200-foot spire. The chapel was designed by Otis Wheelock and is named for the church’s abolitionist deacon Philo Carpenter, who was also the city’s first pharmacist. 

The church has continued its commitment to community service, using its space for a food pantry, health events, and youth summer camps. The congregation also helped develop affordable housing on church-owned land and provides ongoing social services for the tenants.

An Intervention Fund grant of $50,000 approved in 2023 will help the church remove and reinstall loose and falling sections of the church’s stained-glass windows. The instability of the windows had led to unsafe conditions and risk to pedestrians.