First Unitarian Church (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
First Unitarian Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
First Unitarian Church
Location	1009 E. Ogden Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Built	1891
Architect	Ferry & Clas
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	74000102
Added to NRHP	December 30, 1974

The First Unitarian Church is a very old and beautiful church building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was built a long time ago, in 1891 and 1892. This church is special because of its amazing Gothic Revival style. In 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.

Discover the First Unitarian Church

The people who belonged to the First Unitarian church wanted a new building. They hired a famous architecture company from Milwaukee called Ferry & Clas. One of the main architects, George Ferry, was in charge of designing this church.

A Look at Its Design

The church was designed in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like old European churches from the Middle Ages. Most of the church walls are made from a type of stone called Bedford limestone. This stone has a rough, natural look.

The roofs are very steep and have special windows sticking out, called dormers. If you look at the church from above, it has an "L" shape. A tall tower rises up from one part of this "L" shape, making it look even more impressive.

What's Inside?

When you go inside the church, you'll find a large room called the auditorium. The ceiling in this room is very unique. It's a "hammerbeam" ceiling, which means it has large wooden beams that look like they're floating. These beams rest on carved stone pieces called corbels.

At the front of the church is the chancel. This is the area where the services are led. It has a large organ, a pulpit (where the speaker stands), and special carved oak seats called sedilia. The windows in the church have cool, abstract designs that are not pictures, but patterns.

Why Is It Special?

The First Unitarian Church looks almost exactly the same today as it did when it was first built. This is very rare for such an old building! It was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of its beautiful and important architecture. It's also special because it's the oldest Unitarian church building in all of Milwaukee.