n November 1835, a Baptist congregation was organized in Newton County with 16 members from Jefferson Academy. They named it Carmel Baptist. The following spring, in March 1836, the church was admitted to the Baptist Association. At first, services were held in the homes of members, but by September a committee had been formed to build a permanent sanctuary near Brick Store, just below the Forks of the Road leading to Mansfield. By the early 1840s, Carmel Baptist was thriving, with a tri-weekly prayer meeting, Sabbath School, and Bible class.

In 1851, Carmel merged with nearby Liberty Baptist Church (founded c. 1815), and a more central site was selected. Four acres were donated by John F. Jackson for the new sanctuary, which retained the name Carmel Baptist. At the time of the merger, Carmel had 28 members and Liberty had 23. Prior to the Civil War, enslaved people worshiped here alongside white congregants, until Emancipation, when many established their own nearby church.

Carmel grew steadily, reaching a peak of 460 members. But in the early 20th century, the congregation began to splinter. In 1901, several members were dismissed to form a new church at Hayston, and in 1911, another group left to form Mansfield Baptist. Membership declined sharply, and by the 1950s Carmel was offering fewer services. By 1970, only 10 permanent members remained.

The cemetery holds burials dating back to 1854, a lasting reminder of the church’s long role in the community. Nearby in the woods is the old baptismal font, once used for immersions. Though Carmel Baptist is no longer the large congregation it once was, the site and its cemetery continue to preserve the memory of nearly two centuries of worship and fellowship in Newton County.