Fourth Presbyterian Church (Chicago) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago
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Fourth Presbyterian Church front facade facing Michigan Avenue, Chicago
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| Location | 126 East Chestnut Street Chicago, Illinois |
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| Built | 1912 |
| Architect | Ralph Adams Cram, Howard Van Doren Shaw |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000648 |
| Added to NRHP | September 5, 1975 |
The Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago is a very large church in Chicago. It's a Presbyterian church, which is a type of Christian church. You can find it on the famous Magnificent Mile street, right across from the tall John Hancock Center building.
History of the Church
The Fourth Presbyterian Church started on February 12, 1871. It was formed when two churches, Westminster Presbyterian and North Presbyterian, joined together. They opened their first new church building on October 8, 1871. But on that very same day, the terrible Great Chicago Fire started and burned down their brand new church!
The church members didn't give up. They built a second church building at Rush Street and Superior Street. This new building was ready in February 1874.
Building the Current Church
After almost 40 years in their second building, the church decided to build a new one in 1912. They chose a spot on Pine Street, which is now North Michigan Avenue. Back then, this area wasn't as busy as it is today.
The church hired a famous architect named Ralph Adams Cram. He designed the church in the Gothic Revival style, using cut limestone. This style looks like the grand churches built in Europe many centuries ago. Cram also designed the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City at the same time. The Fourth Presbyterian Church was finished and opened in 1914.
While Cram designed the main church building, other parts like the parish house, cloister, and garth were designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw. The church building is one of the oldest structures on North Michigan Avenue. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
In 1884, the church also worked with Rush Medical College to help start the city's Presbyterian Hospital.
Church Facts and Figures
The Fourth Presbyterian Church is one of the biggest Presbyterian churches in the United States. In 2013, it had 5,540 members, making it the second-largest Presbyterian church in the country.
In 2015, the church got a huge new pipe organ. This amazing instrument cost three million dollars! It has five keyboards, 143 sets of pipes (called ranks), and a total of 8,343 pipes. It's the largest organ in the middle part of the United States.
Church Leaders
Before the 1900s, Reverend M. Woolsey Stryker was the pastor from 1885 to 1892. He was known for writing many hymns. He later left to become the president of Hamilton College.
Reverend John Buchanan was the senior pastor for 25 years. He retired on January 31, 2012. In March 2014, the church members voted for Reverend Shannon Johnson Kershner to be their next pastor. She started leading the church on May 1, 2014.
