Hillsboro Baptist Church is located in a beautiful rural Village of Yancey Mills, Virginia just off 250, West of Crozet, Virginia with beautiful views of the Blue Ridge mountains to the North and West. 

We are unable to say who was responsible for the movement, perhaps Mr. Porter Cleveland, but on October 13, 1839 Hillsboro Baptist Church was organized. We do know, that in 1840, the church sought admission into the Albemarle Association. 

The spelling of Hillsborough was changed to Hillsboro in 1843. 

The Religious Herald reported in August 1843 that Hillsboro had a membership of 53, and a Sunday School; and in 1844 reported that a contribution was made to the Virginia Baptist Foreign Mission Society. 

The first business meeting on record was held January 9, 1847, and it appears that meetings were held regularly from that time on. In April 1847 we find that the church resolved itself into a missionary body; and that a pulpit Bible and Hymn Books were purchased. 

In 1849 five Trustees were appointed.

In June of 1855 a movement was started to permit female members to vote on all matters relating to the church, but it took almost a year to get action and passage of this motion. Before that time, about the only privilege they had enjoyed, as far as the business of the church was concerned, was that of attempting to collect money to pay the preacher and to finance repairs to the church building. 

In those years the preacher was paid from $150 to $200 a year “certain” and “more if he can get it”.

In 1863 the characteristic Baptist practice of taking up a collection at preaching was begun at Hillsboro - one practice which we believe will never be abandoned! 

The Albemarle Association met with Hillsboro for the first time in August of 1865. 

In 1887 the congregation desired a musical instrument, and decided to have a Christmas entertainment to help provide funds for an organ; the same year the need was felt for maintaining Sunday School through the winter months. 

Then, in 1904 a great need, that of a new church building, began to press upon the people, and plans were started in this direction. In 1905 an additional room for Sunday School was added. In the years following 1915 the Sunday School reached the Standard of Excellence which it maintained for many years, the BYPU (Baptist Young People’s Union) and the WMS (Women’s Missionary Society), with its youth organizations, were organized, a Board of Deaconesses was elected to work with the Deacons, and active committees were named to care for every phase of church work. 

With the constant growth of the church, the need for additional Sunday School space became evident, and in 1945 a Building Fund was started for that purpose. However, in 1948 the church decided to secure the full-time services of a pastor, thus necessitating the building of a parsonage, the old parsonage having been sold in 1937 while Hillsboro was on the field with Crozet. The new parsonage was completed in 1949, and having it to pay for, plans for a Sunday School had to become secondary for a few years. Nevertheless, in 1954 this project was reactivated and a Planning Committee elected. In 1957 building plans were actually started, and our Educational Building was dedicated August 31, 1958. 

During the period of 1958 thru 1977 church membership continued to grow; a Baldwin Organ was purchased in October 1962, choir robes were purchased, driveway paved, shelters built over permanent picnic tables, interior of church was redecorated and in 1965 a Library was established. 

The old parsonage was sold in January 1980 and a new modern one was built and ready for occupancy in April 1980. Bibles were purchased for use of the congregation in 1981. A public address system was installed in 1982 and a church van was purchased for church activities. 

There are many loving memories of families and friends of the past and present that have faithfully attended and supported our church. We pray that God will allow us to continue for many years to come. 

Only highlights of the church history are presented here, as space did not permit a more detailed history.