First Unitarian Church of Detroit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
First Unitarian Church of Detroit
|
|
The First Unitarian Church in 2008
|
|
| Location | 2870 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | 1889–90 |
| Architect | Donaldson and Meier |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Demolished | May 11, 2014 |
| MPS | Religious Structures of Woodward Ave. TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002899 |
| Added to NRHP | August 3, 1982 |
The First Unitarian Church of Detroit was an important historic building. It was located at 2870 Woodward Avenue in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. Builders finished it between 1889 and 1890. People added it to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Sadly, a fire destroyed the church on May 10, 2014.
History of the Church
The First Congregational Unitarian Society started on October 6, 1850. This church building was their second one. They opened it in November 1890. The church group used the building until 1931.
At that time, Woodward Avenue was made wider. This meant the church building needed changes. The church members then started worshiping with another group. This was the First Universalist Church of Our Father. Their church was on Cass Avenue.
The two groups worked well together. So, in 1934, they decided to join. They formed a new church called the Church of Our Father (Unitarian-Universalist). Later, this church became the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit.
The original First Unitarian building was sold in 1937. The Church of Christ denomination bought it. Over the years, other owners had the building. It became empty and fell into bad shape in the 2000s. The building sat empty until the fire destroyed it in 2014.
Church Architecture
The famous architects Donaldson and Meier designed the First Unitarian Church of Detroit. It was built in the Romanesque Revival style. This means it looked like old Roman buildings. The church was made from red sandstone.
Even after changes in 1936 for the wider Woodward Avenue, it looked mostly the same. The front of the church had a large stone wall. It had a simple porch with four openings. Stone columns supported the porch roof. At one corner, there was a two-story part with a sloped roof. There was also a side porch with stone pillars covering another entrance.
Many of the beautiful original John La Farge stained glass windows are still safe. These windows used to face Woodward Avenue. The Detroit Institute of Arts bought them in 1959. You can see them there today.
Images for kids
-
The First Unitarian Church around 1906
See also
In Spanish: Primera Iglesia Unitaria de Detroit para niños
