First Congregational Church (Waukesha, Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Congregational Church
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 100 E. Broadway, Waukesha, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1867 |
| Architect | Crane & Barkhausen |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001991 |
| Added to NRHP | January 30, 1992 |
The First Congregational Church is a historic building located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The main part of this church was built in 1867. Since then, it has been made larger and updated several times. This church also serves as a church school. Because of its special design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 30, 1992. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
Contents
The Church's Early Days
How It All Started
The First Evangelical Congregational Church of Prairieville was formed in 1838. Back then, Waukesha was called Prairieville. This group was the very first Christian church started in Waukesha County.
At first, the church members met in people's homes. They also met in a small log school house. In 1840, they built their own small wooden church. This building was located at the corner of Maple and Wisconsin Avenues. It was the first Congregational Church building ever built in Wisconsin Territory.
A Safe Place for Freedom
In the 1840s, Waukesha became a strong center for people who were against slavery. Some members of the First Congregational Church were important leaders in this movement. They worked both in Waukesha and across the Wisconsin Territory.
In 1842, a woman named Caroline Quarlls escaped from slavery in St. Louis. She traveled along the Underground Railroad and found her way to Waukesha. A church member named Lyman Goodnow helped her. He drove her in a wagon at night to help her continue her journey to Ontario, Canada.
In 1845, the church members officially spoke out against slavery. Their statements were noticed across the country. In 1848, Ichabod Codding became the pastor. He had been the editor of an anti-slavery newspaper called American Freeman. Another member of the church then took his place as the newspaper's editor.
Growing and Changing Through the Years
The First New Building (1867)
By 1867, the church had more and more members. They decided they needed a bigger church building. They sold their old church and built a new one at 100 E. Broadway. This 1867 building is the main part of the church you see today.
However, it looked quite different back then. It was a wooden building with a simple rectangular shape. The style was called Greek Revival. It had an 80-foot tall steeple above the front door. The top part of the steeple, called the lantern and spire, looks similar to how it does today.
Expanding in 1899
By 1899, the church needed even more room. The members decided to make the 1867 building bigger. They hired architects named Crane and Barkhausen from Milwaukee. They added a section to each side of the church. This changed the building's shape from a rectangle to a cruciform, which looks like a cross.
These additions created more space for seating in the main part of the church, called the nave. They also added rooms for Sunday school, a kitchen, and the pastor's office. The building's style was also updated to the Gothic Revival style. This meant many flat-topped windows were replaced with windows that had pointed tops.
More Additions in the 1920s
In 1922, the church decided to expand again. They covered much of the old wooden outside with brick. They also added a large, one-story section to the eastern end of the church. This addition was in a Tudor Revival style. It featured stucco and decorative wooden beams, which is called half-timbering. Inside, this new part created more Sunday school rooms. It also made more space in the basement for dining and a kitchen.
In 1928, they added even more space. They built a half-story above parts of the 1922 addition. This created even more rooms for Sunday school.
Modern Education Wing (1961)
In 1961, the church added a new section called an education wing. This part of the building was designed in a more modern style.
