In the heart of Shotwell, Good Hope Baptist Church stands as a lasting symbol of faith and community. Built in the 1950s in the Gothic Revival style, the church has long served as a gathering place for generations of African American residents. On May 3, Wake County will celebrate this landmark and the surrounding community with a Preservation Celebration.
“The Wake County Board of Commissioners is proud to have designated Good Hope Baptist Church and its adjacent historic cemetery as a historic landmark last year," said Donald Mial, chair, Wake County Board of Commissioners. "This church represents the history, identity and strength of the Shotwell community. We are proud to recognize and preserve places like this for future generations.”
The Preservation Celebration will take place Sunday, May 3 from 3–5 p.m. at Good Hope Baptist Church, 4209 Smithfield Road in Knightdale. During the event, the Wake County Historic Preservation Commission will present landmark plaques for two designated historic landmarks including Good Hope Baptist Church and its historic cemetery and dedicate a roadside marker recognizing Shotwell’s historic African American community. Visitors can learn about the church’s history, hear community stories and take part in the celebration.
The event will kick off Wake County’s observance of Preservation Month, highlighting the county’s historic places and the stories behind them.
After the Civil War, African American congregants from Hephzibah Baptist Church near Wendell founded Good Hope Baptist Church. In 1878, they purchased land in what is now Shotwell and built a small sanctuary. Over time, the area grew into a center of community life with a school for Black children, a Rosenwald School built nearby in the 1920s and the Union Society of Shotwell Lodge No. 14. The current brick church, completed in 1957 and designed by Raleigh architect C. Eugene Savage, continues to stand as a reminder of the generations who built and sustained this community.
The Wake County Historic Preservation Commission, established in 1992 by the Wake County Board of Commissioners, works to protect and recognize historic places across the county. In partnership with Capital Area Preservation, a nonprofit organization, the commission helps preserve sites that reflect Wake County’s history and character. Together, they support efforts to ensure places like Good Hope Baptist Church remain an important part of the community for years to come.
