George Bray Neighborhood Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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United Laymen Bible Student Tabernacle
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United Laymen Bible Student Tabernacle
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| Location | 924 Center St. Racine, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | J. Mandor Matson |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004318 |
| Added to NRHP | December 8, 1983 |
The George Bray Neighborhood Center is a historic building located in Racine, Wisconsin. You can find it at 924 Center Street. This building was first known as the United Laymen Bible Student Tabernacle or Union Tabernacle. It was built in 1927 and designed by a talented architect named J. Mandor Matson. Because of its importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Contents
A Place for Community
How the Building Started
In 1924, people from different churches in Racine decided to come together. They wanted to study the Bible as one group. They called themselves the Racine Laymen's Bible Union. At first, they met in different churches. But by 1925, they bought their own piece of land.
They hired an architect to design a special building for them. On May 15, 1927, their new building was officially opened. It was dedicated to teaching the Bible and sharing the Gospel. They also wanted to support worldwide missions.
Building's Unique Design
The building is made of red brick. It has a two-story front that faces the street. This front part is decorated with two rows of tall, flat columns called pilasters. These pilasters have decorative tops called finials.
Above these decorations, there is a large arched space called a tympanum. This arch is filled with circles made of brick. The architect, J. Mandor Matson, was from Norway and worked in Racine. The building's style is called Art Deco. The people who built it might have seen special meanings in the design. For example, the three circles inside the large circle might have represented the Trinity. The pilasters with finials might have looked like candles, showing their mission to be a "light to the world."
Serving the Community Over Time
The Racine Bible Church used this building until 1961 or 1962. Later, from 1965 to 1969, it became a meeting place for the local Boy Scouts.
In 1969, a group called the Franklin Neighborhood Association moved in. This group worked as a community center. In 1980, the center was named after George Bray. He was the head of the center at the time. He was also a city alderman and started the Racine chapter of the NAACP.
The center faced some challenges. It lost state funding in 2015. Because of a lack of money, it had to close in September 2016. However, it reopened on February 23, 2017. It became a branch of the Racine Family YMCA. The reopening ceremony was special, featuring Caron Butler. He is a famous NBA player who grew up in Racine.
