The Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of Truth was the first of its kind and denomination in Richmond, established in 1918 by evangelist Isom Ford. The first church was built in 1923 on Fourth and Travis Streets in the Freeman Town area. Later it was added on to in 1945, then moved to the back of the property in 1969, the year a new church in Thompsons was purchased and moved to 400 Travis street. It was one of the first churches in the area with a female leader, Octavia Laws, in 1921. The church has served the community of Richmond in food and clothing ministry as well as ministry to nursing homes. It bridges generations from days of Freeman Town’s freed slaves to today.