In January of 1885 a lot at the corner of 9th and Harrison was purchased by T.M. James for the construction of a new church on the city’s near east side. Laying the cornerstone in 1888 at what would become Calvary Baptist Church, James personally presided over the construction of the majestic new edifice. The limestone was quarried in Ohio by convict labor and the carpets were made in English factories to specifications supplied by the architect. A huge mural for the sanctuary was commissioned by a nationally known artist of the day. Construction was completed in 1890 and the church opened without debt. Church membership swelled to over 800 and Sunday School boasted an enrollment of over 300 during the early years of the church.

In October of 1948 arsonists set the building ablaze and only the limestone walls remained following the fire. It’s believed that anti-prohibitionists were the culprit. The fire destroyed the church’s iconic steeple and to this day it has not been rebuilt. The Pastor at the time, Dr. R.L. Decker was a strict prohibitionist and was the Prohibitionist Party’s Presidential nomination in 1960. The congregation elected to rebuild after the fire in order to keep the mission alive in the city’s rapidly changing near east side. During the post WWII years the church’s membership began a slow decline. The last Pastor to serve at the old Calvary was Bob Ganote, who now serves at the Sovereign Grace Baptist Church on Truman Road. Ultimately the church closed in 2009 and sat vacant until The Arts Asylum purchased the structure and created an arts hub of sorts that continues to be a haven for resident artists, visual performing and otherwise. Most recently the Barn Players are relocating their community theater to The Arts Asylum space in January 2018. While the original congregation might be long gone, the iconic 130 year old building continues to serve the surrounding community today.