Before it was a high-rise, 216 S. Brentwood was the site of a black church that dated back to 1893. What started out as a small congregation meeting in a small, shingled building grew into a congregation of more than 600 meeting in a large, beautiful brick building in Clayton. For 68 years, Clayton Missionary Baptist Church was led by Reverent W. L. Rhodes. According to John A. Wright Sr., in his book, St. Louis Disappearing Black Communities, “Clayton Baptist played a major role in the life of African Americans who lived in Clayton, since the community’s facilities were closed to blacks.” The church was forced to move in the early 1960’s and their beautiful brick building, which had been built in 1907, was destroyed. The congregation relocated to 2801 North Union Boulevard where it stands to this day.