Historic Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Richmond Destroyed by Fire

Fire tore through the former Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Richmond's Church Hill neighborhood on the evening of July 5, 2026, destroying a building that had served as a cornerstone of the city's Civil Rights Movement.

Firefighters responded to the 1100 block of North 28th Street around 6:15 p.m. and arrived within a minute and a half to find heavy fire and smoke throughout the structure. Neighbor Coleman Lucado said he was on his front porch when the blaze started. 'The rain started. We heard an extremely loud snap of lightning,' Lucado said. 'All of a sudden we saw flames erupting.'

Richmond Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal said crews made quick decisions to protect neighboring homes. Incident Commander Lt. Carlos Samuels Sr. evacuated residents from adjacent properties as a precaution. One home suffered exterior heat damage; another had water damage on the first floor.

Richmond NAACP President James Minor praised the firefighters. 'They fought this fire on the knees, in the air, while it was thundering and lightning,' Minor said. 'They are the heroes.'

Brenda Nichols, a church member for 62 years who married the late Rev. Dr. Paul Nichols in the building in 1964, said the loss was deeply personal. 'It's a part of history that even though we have pictures, the actual building itself has been erased,' she said.

The congregation sold the building years ago and relocated across the street. A group had purchased the property and was exploring housing and historical preservation options. Community members had also been working to place a historical marker on the building.

Minor said the church helped shape Richmond during the Civil Rights era. 'It was a beacon of hope and a beacon of light for our community,' he said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.