Baptists have been on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution in western New York State at its inception thanks to the ecumenical vision of its cofounders in 1874. The Chautauqua Baptist Union was organized in 1890 to support members, missionaries and its first major task - the construction of Baptist Headquarters. This historic building was formally opened and dedicated in July 1898 and many original furnishings remain.

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Large meeting areas on the main floor continue to provide gathering spaces for worship, hospitality and special programming. Accommodations at Baptist House expanded in 1927. Major donors included Chautauqua president Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Bestor, the American Baptist Home Missionary Society, Helen Barrett Montgomery, and the University of Chicago. Second floor rooms were enlarged to provide ten guest bedrooms for missionaries and national workers, and the ground floor remodeled to include seven furnished kitchenettes.

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Hospitality continues to this day and all are welcomed without regard to religious affiliation.