Property Record
2019 Fisher Street
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Mount Zion Baptist Church |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 108156 |
| Location (Address): | 2019 Fisher Street |
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| County: | Dane |
| City: | Madison |
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| Year Built: | 1960 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19732019 |
| Historic Use: | church |
| Architectural Style: | Contemporary |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | Hexagonal shape, some interesting massing. City of Madison, Wisconsin Underrepresented Communities Historic Resource Survey Report: Mount Zion Baptist Church was established in 1911 as a Baptist mission and was located on the second floor of a non-extant building at 118 East Washington Avenue. The church was eventually formed and recognized by the National Baptist Convention and purchased a property for a new church building in 1925. The non-extant church, located at 548 West Johnson Street, was led by Reverend Joseph Washington, who worked closely with Willie Lou Harris and others to establish Mother’s Watch, the Madison NAACP chapter, and the South Madison Neighborhood Center. In 1955, Reverend Joe Dawson took on the leadership of the church, which was becoming increasingly involved in the civil rights movement. Mount Zion had become one of the leading social and religious organizations for the African American community in Madison. In 1960, the University of Wisconsin-Madison purchased the church and demolished it. That same year, Mount Zion moved to Bram’s Addition neighborhood, near where many of the church’s parishioners lived. A new contemporary style building was constructed for the church at 2019 Fisher Street. An adjacent minimal traditional style parsonage house was also constructed that year at 2025-2029 Fisher Street. In 1982, the church established a food pantry and later constructed a small ranch style building at 2025 Fisher Street, adjacent to the parsonage and church, to serve as a community center. In 2004, the church constructed a new addition for a 500-seat sanctuary to accommodate a rapidly growing membership. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |