Dover was settled in 1623 and Baptist sentiments appeared from time to time almost from the beginning. However, it was not until the 19th Century that Baptist churches were established here. One factor was the passing of New Hampshire's Toleration Act in 1819 which permitted churches outside the established government church to pursue their faith and works. Also, in 1812 the first of the mills was built in Dover which brought people of many different religious persuasions to town. Where there were two churches here in 1800 by 1840 there were ten. Three of these were Baptist. In 1828 the Calvinist Baptists, also known as Particular or Regular Baptists, organized a church with thirteen members. The following year they built their meetinghouse on the corner of Forth Street and Central Avenue where Dunkin Donuts is now located. Their name was the First Regular Baptist Church. It was later changed to the Franklin Street Baptist Church and still later to the Central Avenue Baptist Church. In 1918 this church united with the Washington Street Free Baptists to become Dover Baptist Church. The First Free Will Baptist Church was organized in 1826. They built their meetinghouse on what is now the corner of Chestnut and Lincoln Streets in 1832. the building is still used today as Carswell Auto Parts. In 1851 the congregation moved to another building on Broadway and in 1902 they disbanded. In 1840 another free will Baptist church was organized. The nucleus of this church was dissatisfied members of the First Free Will Church mentioned above. Thirteen people gathered together and became the Center Street Free Will Baptist Church. In 1843 this church, in cooperation with the Free Will Baptist Printing Establishment (publishers of "The Morning Star", a Baptist newspaper), built a new church home on Washington Street. The building was later remodeled and known as the Odd Fellow's Building until it was demolished in 1977.

In 1855 the church changed its name to the Washington Street Free Will Baptist Church. In 1868 the printing establishment needed more room so the church sold its' interest and erected a brick church on the corner of Washington and Fayette Streets. It was dedicated October 28, 1869, and was free of debt by April 3, 1882. On May 2, 1882 a fire in an adjoining building spread to the church and gutted it, leaving only a shell above the first floor.

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