First Baptist Church of Chico was organized in 1874 in the home of B. F. Booth by missionary Noah T. Byars, assisted by the Reverend Sithemore, who became pastor. The congregation met at Booth's and in the H. P. Morris home until it acquired a site east of the present church and built a brush arbor for summertime use, worshiping in the schoolhouse in winter. The earliest frame church was replaced by a larger one in 1908, Sunday School rooms were added in 1936, the educational building was erected in 1959, and the present sanctuary was completed in 1962. Its original membership of five increased to more than 400.