First Universalist Church (Elgin, Illinois)

Last updated

First Universalist Church
Image The First Universalist Church.jpeg
USA Illinois location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location55 Villa St., Elgin, Illinois
Coordinates 42°2′10″N88°16′48″W / 42.03611°N 88.28000°W / 42.03611; -88.28000
Area0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built1892
ArchitectHunter, George
Architectural styleRomanesque, Richardsonian Romanesque
Part of Elgin Historic District (ID83000318)
NRHP reference No. 80001374 [1]
Added to NRHPNovember 7, 1980

The First Universalist Church in Elgin, Illinois was built in 1892. It was designed by George Hunter to resemble a pocket watch in Richardsonian Romanesque style. [1] The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and was subsequently included as a contributing property in the Elgin Historic District. [1]

Contents

History

The Universalists of Elgin, Illinois first founded a church in the city in 1866. The building, Unity Hall, was erected on the same site as the present church. The National Watch Company factory was also completed that year, and the two institutions have since had an intertwined history. Silvanus Wilcox, a member of the church, was one of four Elgin citizens to donate lands for the construction of the factory. The National Watch Company became Elgin's largest employer and produced over 4,000 watches a day. [2]

By 1890, the Universalist congregation had grown to a point where a larger building was necessary. They turned to church member George Hunter, who was one of the "Seven Stars" who had originally come from the east to start the factory. Hunter conceived the idea that the new church building should resemble a pocket watch. The body of the church corresponded to the case, the roof was the cover, the choir loft was the hinge, and the tower was the snap. The pulpit was placed where the numeral XII would be found on the face of the watch. [2]

Thanks to wealthy donors from the factory, the church was able to afford high-quality furnishings. The $3000 tracker pipe organ was manufactured by John W. Steele & Sons from Springfield, Massachusetts. It features fourteen ranks of pipes and is only one of ten of its kind built. [2]

The church became an important community center. The Universalists often allowed newly organized religious groups to worship there until a permanent location could be found. The building also housed many community and cultural events. [2]

The Elgin National Watch Company factory was demolished in 1966. Aside from the Elgin National Watch Company Observatory, there are few other structures associated with the factory left in the city. Elgin's watch-shaped First Universalist Church is now an important reminder of Elgin's industrious past. As a result, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1980. On May 9, 1983, it was also added to the register as a contributing property to the Elgin Historic District. [2]

Christian recording artist Rich Mullins and the Kid Brothers of St. Frank used the church to rehearse in September 1997, for what was to be Mullins' fall tour. Mullins recorded demos for his upcoming album on a cassette recorder on September 10, nine days before his death in an auto accident. These songs would eventually be released posthumously as part of The Jesus Record . [3]

Architecture

The two-story masonry structure was built to resemble a pocket watch. The building is found on a triangular lot at the southeast corner of the intersection of Villa and Dupage Streets. The building's design is strongly influenced by the Richardsonian Romanesque style. The body of the church has sixteen sides with a tented roof, and a tower with a conical roof rising to the same height as the body. This tower is connected to the body with entrances on both sides. The entranceways have gabled roofs and pediments, a design similarly found on the two centrally-located bays of the body on the northeast and southwest. The church features a 4-foot (1.2 m) stone base and water table. Eight bays feature flanking pilasters with a wide arch window. The windows of the building are the original stained glass designs. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winton Place Methodist Episcopal Church</span> United States historic place

The Winton Place Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic church building in the Winton Place neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States that was constructed as the home of a congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the late nineteenth century. The congregation grew out of a group that was founded in 1856; although the members erected their first building in 1860, they were not officially organized until 1872. Among the leading members of the congregation was Samuel Hannaford, a prominent Cincinnati architect. When the congregation chose to build a new church building in 1884, Hannaford was chosen as the architect for the project. At this time, Hannaford was near to the peak of his prestige: he had ended a partnership with another architect seven years before, and his reputation was growing with his designs of significant Cincinnati-area buildings such as the Cincinnati Music Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Souls Unitarian-Universalist Church</span> Historic church in Ohio, United States

All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, built in 1894 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style is a historic building located at 25 Church Street in Bellville, Ohio. On January 1, 1976, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Congregational Church of Sterling</span> Historic church in Illinois, United States

The First Congregational Church of Sterling is a historic church in Sterling, Illinois, United States. The church was built in 1897 and 1898 and is an example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allston Congregational Church</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

Allston Congregational Church is a historic Congregational church building at 31-41 Quint Avenue in the Allston neighborhood Boston, Massachusetts. Built in 1890–91 to a design by Allston native Eugene L. Clark, it is a prominent local example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The property includes a Shingle style parsonage built about the same time. The buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The building presently houses a mosque and the Palestinian Cultural Center for Peace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvinistic Congregational Church</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

The Calvinistic Congregational Church is an historic church building located at 820 Main Street in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. In 1967, the congregation joined with the First United Methodist Church of Fitchburg to form a cooperative ministry called Faith United Parish. Built in 1896. the church was designed by architect Henry M. Francis, and is one of the city's finest examples of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Since 2013 the building has been owned by the Casa De Gracia y Restauración.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Universalist Church (Somerville, Massachusetts)</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

The First Universalist Church is a historic Universalist Church building at 125 Highland Avenue in Somerville, Massachusetts. The Romanesque church building was built between 1916 and 1923 to a design by Ralph Adams Cram, and is the only example of his work in Somerville. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. It is currently owned by the Highland Masonic Building Association, and is the home of King Solomon's Lodge AF & AM, the builders of the Bunker Hill Monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Unitarian Church (Somerville, Massachusetts)</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

The former First Unitarian Church is a historic church building at 130 Highland Avenue in Somerville, Massachusetts. The stone church was built in 1894 for a Unitarian congregation. It was designed by Hartwell & Richardson and is a good example of Richardsonian Romanesque design. The building presently (2022) houses the Mission Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John N. Bagley House</span> Historic house in Michigan, United States

The John N. Bagley House, also known as Bagley Mansion, was built as a private residence in 1889. The mansion is located at 2921 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. As of 2022, the house is used as a commercial office building, maintaining its historic features and character.

Dexter Universalist Church, or the First Universalist Church of Dexter, is a historic church on Church Street in Dexter, Maine. Built in the 1820s and restyled in the 1860s, it is a distinctive work of Boston, Massachusetts architect Thomas Silloway. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starke County Courthouse</span> United States historic place

The Starke County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Knox, Starke County, Indiana. It was designed by the architectural firm of Wing & Mahurin, of Fort Wayne and built in 1897. It is a three-story, Richardsonian Romanesque style Indiana Oolitic limestone and terra cotta building. It has a Greek cross-plan and is topped by a tiled hipped roof. It features a 138 feet tall clock tower located at the roof's center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John's Episcopal Church (Keokuk, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. John's Episcopal Church is a parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. It is located in Keokuk, Iowa, United States. It was listed, together with the parish hall, on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elgin Historic District</span> Historic district in Illinois, United States

The Elgin Historic District is a set of 697 buildings in Elgin, Illinois. Of these, 429 contribute to the district's historical integrity. The district is the oldest portion of the city, and contains mostly residences and churches. Other buildings in the district include an art museum, a masonic temple, and the Elgin Academy. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, the district also contains three properties that were already individually listed: the academy, the First Universalist Church, and Gifford-Davidson House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elgin National Watch Company Observatory</span> United States historic place

The Elgin National Watch Company Observatory is a historic building in Elgin, in the U.S. state of Illinois. It was built in 1910 to serve the Elgin National Watch Company two blocks to the west. The two-story observatory provided data on time that was scientifically accurate to a tenth of a second. Manufacturers could then produce a more accurate watch. The observatory was an important part of the company's legacy, and they even changed their motto to reflect this. By 1950, the Elgin National Watch Company could no longer compete with wristwatch companies. The observatory was donated to a local school district and became known as the School District U-46 Planetarium/Observatory. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unitarian Universalist Church (Ann Arbor, Michigan)</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

The Unitarian Universalist Church is a historic church building at 100 N. State Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Ashland Post Office</span> United States historic place

The Old Ashland Post Office is a historic building in Ashland, Wisconsin, United States. It now serves as the Ashland City Hall, which is what most people know it as, and refer to it as. It houses the offices of city government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church (Sterling, Colorado)</span> Historic church in Colorado, United States

St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church is a historic church at 329 S. 3rd Street in Sterling, Colorado, United States. It was built in 1911 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Housatonic Congregational Church</span> United States historic place

The Housatonic Congregational Church is a historic church building at 1089 Main Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Built in 1892 it is a prominent local example of Queen Anne Revival architecture, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. It is now home to the Unitarian Universalist Meeting of South Berkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transfer House (Decatur, Illinois)</span> United States historic place

The Transfer House is a historic building located in Central Park in Decatur, Illinois. Built in 1896, the building originally served as a transfer point for Decatur's electric streetcar system. Architect William W. Boyington's design for the building was influenced by a number of Victorian styles, particularly the Richardsonian Romanesque. The building was ultimately moved to Central Park and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Baptist Church (Bridgeport, Connecticut)</span> Historic church in Connecticut, United States

The First Baptist Church is a historic church at 126 Washington Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Built in 1893, it is a distinctive local example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, designed by local architect Joseph W. Northrop for a congregation founded in 1837. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Side Historic District</span> Historic district in Wisconsin, United States

The Southwest Side Historic District is a neighborhood in Stoughton, Wisconsin with over 100 contributing properties in various styles built as early as 1856. It was added to the State and the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 NRHP Nomination Form
  3. "Rich Mullins' Last Musical Vision". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved March 9, 2018.