McCarty Memorial Christian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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McCarty Memorial Christian Church
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4101 West Adams Boulevard Los Angeles, California |
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| Built | 1932 |
| Architect | Barber, Thomas P.; Kingsbury, Paul |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001456 |
| Added to NRHP | January 17, 2002 |
McCarty Memorial Christian Church is a beautiful church in Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1932 in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like old churches from the Gothic period in Europe.
The church is located in the West Adams area. It is part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). McCarty Church started as a church for white people. But in the mid-1950s, it became famous for welcoming people of all races. This was a big step for its time.
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Church Design: Gothic Revival Style
The McCarty Memorial Christian Church was built in 1932. Its design is based on English Gothic Revival style. This style uses tall, pointed arches and detailed decorations.
Some special parts of the church include its stained glass windows. These windows have fancy patterns called tracery. The church also has arched walkways, known as ambulatories. A tall, 130-foot tower stands out. It has an open belfry at the top where bells are kept.
In January 2002, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical buildings in the United States. A few months later, the church received a "Preserve L.A." grant. This grant helped them study the church's history. It also helped them plan how to keep the building in good condition.
Experts who wrote An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles praised McCarty Church. They called it a great example of concrete churches built in Los Angeles in the late 1920s. They described its style as a mix of English and French Gothic.
History of McCarty Memorial Church
Building the Church
Dr. and Mrs. Isaac A. McCarty paid for the church to be built. They had traveled a lot in America and Europe. They studied church designs to help them build a church for their community.
The church was officially opened in May 1932. This was also the McCartys' 45th wedding anniversary. The Los Angeles Times newspaper reported on the church. It said the building and its furnishings cost $250,000. The land it was built on cost $30,000.
Dr. McCarty brought many items for the church's inside from Czechoslovakia. The Times newspaper called the church "one of the finest examples of pure Gothic architecture in America." Thomas P. Barber and Paul Kingsbury designed the church.
Important people attended the opening ceremony. These included Los Angeles Mayor John Porter. Dr. McCarty passed away two years later in May 1934. His funeral was held at the church he helped create.
The first pastor at McCarty was Dr. Bruce Brown. He served the church until 1942. Dr. O. James Sowell became pastor in 1942. He left in 1952 to become an evangelist. The Rev. James Clark Brown then served as pastor for seven months.
Welcoming Everyone: Integration Under Rev. Kring Allen
The Rev. Kring Allen helped McCarty Church become a place for everyone. He successfully led the church to welcome people of all races. He became the pastor in 1954.
In 1967, the Los Angeles Times interviewed Rev. Allen. He said the church's neighborhood was mostly Black. He guessed the church was also about 85% Black. He explained, "You lose your color sense when you stop thinking about it. I lost mine."
When Rev. Allen arrived, the church had only 370 members. It used to have 1,500 members in the 1930s. The church was struggling in a changing neighborhood. Rev. Allen brought new ideas that were seen as very bold at the time.
He shared his goal: "This church was going to integrate or I wouldn't stay." Some church leaders wanted to keep the church separated by race. But Rev. Allen told them he would not agree. He spent months learning about Black history. He realized that many people had unfair ideas about race.
He asked other churches for advice. One church told him to "go slow" to avoid problems. But Rev. Allen wanted to act quickly. Things were hard at first. But they improved when he took 70 church members, both Black and white, to a camp. They lived, worked, and studied together. They returned as a fully integrated group.
Rev. Allen became a strong supporter of churches welcoming everyone. He believed that welcoming all people was central to the church's message. He said, "There can be no more segregated churches."
See also
People
- Don A. Allen, a member of the California State Assembly and the Los Angeles City Council, attended McCarty Memorial
