This brief history of Shiloh Baptist Church comes from the program for the “1913-1988 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebration.” The Rev. Patricia Arledge was the Interim Pastor at the time.

In the fall of 1900, the Rev. J. Franklin Walker organized the Shiloh mission with the assistance of members: Alfred Mason, Martha Mason, W.H. Robinson, Wm. F. James, Lyda James, Daniel Franklin, Elizabeth Franklin, Walter Coles, Cornelia Coles, Rebecca Fields, Bertie Johnson, and Julia Brown. The twelve and Rev. Franklin used the Diamond Hall as their first meeting place.

The following year the Rev. M.C. Smith took charge and the mission increased in numbers, prospering also financially and spiritually. They moved to the chapel on Warren Avenue and Eleventh Street in 1903.

Rev. Smith was released from Shiloh after serving there seven years. He was succeeded by Rev. E.L. Jasper for three years as pastor.

In September 1913, the church, no longer a mission, was incorporated in the Court of Common Pleas of Armstrong County, PA “The Shiloh Baptist Church of Apollo, PA.” “The purposes for which this corporation is formed are for the support and maintenance of the public worship according to the faith, doctrine, discipline, formula, and customs of the Allegheny General Baptist Association of PA, United States of America.”

The Rev. Warren A. Mason from Alexandria, VA was called to Apollo. Under his ministry, the church took on a new life and the members had a desire for a permanent house of worship. This desire was realized when in 1914 the new brick building on N. Warren Avenue was dedicated. In this year the church had five Deacons: Thomas F. Tucker, Wm. Hayden, John Jackson, P.A. Coles, and Geo. Roberts, and a full church.

In early 1918 a few settlers of Vandergrift, PA met with Rev. Mason and the Haydens, the Parks, and Mr. Cole of Shiloh and were led to start another church, First Baptist Church, N. Vandergrift, PA.

With an Apollo newspaper costing 3 cents a copy and “church dues” 25 cents a month, the church continued to prosper through the faith and works of members and leadership of pastors: Rev. Jones, Rev. Saunders, Rev. Hudson, Rev. C.S. West, Rev. Lattimore, and Rev. Wilson. There are no written records of this period because of the St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1936 Flood which destroyed the church records except those lodged in the memory and recorded in the Armstrong County Courthouse. The church and contents were damaged by the flood. Some was salvaged. Much was replaced.

The Rev. E.W. Williams of Pittsburgh was leading the church in the early 1940’s when Shiloh was the third church to join the Kiski Valley Union of Churches, which was organized by Rev. P.H. Booker.

The Rev. Evens Harris pastored the church until the pastorship of the Rev. Broach Naylor, 1965-1985.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1972, Rev. Naylor and Shiloh Baptist Church were host to the community Thanksgiving Service sponsored by the Apollo Ministerial Association. Rev. Naylor plans to be with Shiloh Church for this 75th Anniversary-Thanksgiving Celebration to share once again the experience of worship at Shiloh Baptist Church of Apollo, PA Inc.

  The church building is today privately owned.