First Baptist Church (first location), Grand Junction, Colorado 1883-11-01 Grand Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets Grand Junction Mesa Colorado 81501 USA Work on the first building of the First Baptist Church commenced shortly after the church was organized in February 1883 (Grand Junction News). The Grand Junction News reported that construction on the project began by March 17, 1883, with the project to cost $2,000. According to local historian Bill Nelson, the building was to have been built on White Avenue, where the town of Grand Junction was giving free land to churches that wanted to build. A group of Baptists, including M.A. Glascoe, wrote and signed a letter protesting the location of the church on government land. The church was built instead on Grand Avenue, on or near the location of the current Mesa County Libraries Central Branch at 443 N. 6th Street. The church may have struggled to secure the funds necessary for the church’s completion, because the News reported that the Reverend Dr. Palmer went to Gunnison to solicit funds for the building in July 1883. By November of 1883, the building was apparently completed. The congregation later moved to its current building at 7th Street and Grand Avenue. yes yes