St. Matthews Unison Free Will Baptist Church

Before being built in 1915 as the Olivet Baptist Church, this land seems to have been owned publically. According to Sanborn maps of 1911, there was no building at the location of 400 Dixwell Ave at that time, but a large portion of the surrounding homes on the street were owned by a family with the last name “Hawley”. In the years after the Great Depression that sent Dixwell Ave productivity into a significant decline, New Haven began a redevelopment and renewal program which focused on bringing lower Dixwell into better residential and commercial standards, around the time when St. Matthews Union Free Will Baptist Church purchased Olivet Baptist Church to begin its services.[6] The church has remained open since its original purchase with consistent excellent reviews over the years.

Originally built in 1915 by architect Alfred L. Johnson, the building has a very interesting story surrounding it. The original intention to start a church was when, according to the church’s website, “a group of Blacks met in a home on Orchard Street with an intention to spread Christian fellowship of their culture”[4]. This group migrated to multiple locations until it decided to purchase this building in 1960. At the time, this building had different owners and was named “Olivet Baptist Church” until St. Matthew’s purchased it under Rev. Dr. Lloyd Taylor. Officially renamed to St. Matthews Unison Free Will Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Lloyd Taylor would go on to serve as pastor until his death on June 29, 1977. Three years after his death, the building had an immense addition that added a large portion of its extraordinary brick exterior that we see today. Currently lying on the outskirts of a town that thrives on its commercial properties and population density, St. Matthews Unison Free Will is open to all residents and hosts daily worship and teaching services. Its current pastor is Elder Kevin C. Hardy, who is serving as the church’s ninth pastor. Overall, this church seemed to have a larger social impact than we can tangibly identify in the present day. In the past, specifically periods around the 1850’s when blacks first migrated to houses near lower Dixwell Avenue in larger numbers, churches played a major role in assimilation and socialization of new members.[5] This church, specifically, was built on the premises of expanding religious beliefs to an area that lacked their cultural representation, and this fact alone should prove its long-lasting significance to the New Haven community.

This church is positioned on the western side of Dixwell Avenue in a peaceful, but yet highly contested neighborhood with consistent motor transportation accompanying it. Along the street are residential buildings that have similar design to the church with occasional commercial buildings along the way. There is a healthy mix of a neighborhood and commercial feel that allows both aspects to be prevalent. Most buildings have a well-maintained appearance and the surrounding area seems to be in decent shape.