The origins of the Baptist Church in Marley can be traced to a Baptist missionary named Allen B. Freeman, who helped organize the O’Plain Baptist Church in 1833, in what is now south-central Homer Township.

The church began in the cabin of pioneer settler Abram Snapp and his family. In 1850, a small white frame church was built in the village of Hadley, and the church was renamed “The Hadley Baptist Church.”

As the thriving village of Marley began to grow, ground was broken in winter 1899 for a new church east of town on Maple Street. Limestone was hauled from a nearby Joliet quarry for the church foundation, and the cornerstone was laid May 25, 1900.

The completed church, shown in the Then photograph, was dedicated Jan. 6, 1901. In 1914, the name was changed to “The Marley Baptist Community Church,” in an effort to welcome other Christians from other denominations. A few years later, the name was changed again, dropping the word Baptist.

In the early 1920s, the steeple was removed from the bell tower when it was found to be in bad condition and decorative railing was added atop the truncated tower.

By 1983, a fund was set up by the church to restore the steeple, which was subsequently rebuilt.

In 1954, the John Storm farmstead, located south of Maple Street was sold, and a portion of the land was subdivided for residential development. A section of this land was bought by Agnes Haley for conversion to a park for the Marley Church in the memory of her parents, Charles and Elizabeth Haley.

Additional land also was donated by Mrs. Robert Regan, who owned the Storm farm. The park, located just west of the church, was dedicated July 4, 1955.

Known as the Marley Community Church today, the church continues to serve the community and its residents. The Now photograph shows similar view of the church today.