Second Presbyterian Church (Chicago) facts for kids
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Second Presbyterian Church
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(2010)
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 Second Presbyterian Church
Location in Central Chicago
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| Location | 1936 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois |
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| Built | 1874 |
| Architect | Renwick & Sands; Shaw, Howard Van Doren |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000754 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | February 27, 2013 |
The Second Presbyterian Church is a famous church in Chicago, Illinois. It is known for its beautiful design. This church was built in the Gothic Revival style. Many important families in Chicago went to this church long ago.
What makes it special is its inside. After a big fire in 1900, the church's interior was completely rebuilt. It was designed in the Arts and Crafts style. This style focuses on simple, handmade beauty. The church's inside is one of the best examples of this style in America. It also has nine amazing windows made by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The church is a National Historic Landmark. This means it is very important to American history.
Contents
History of the Church
The Second Presbyterian Church started in 1842. It grew from Chicago's very first Presbyterian church. For many years, the church met in a building downtown. This building was designed by James Renwick Jr.. He also designed St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
In the late 1860s, downtown Chicago became more about businesses. So, the church decided to move to the South Side. Just before the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, the church moved. The fire destroyed their old building.
Many rich and famous Chicago families attended this church. These included the families of George Pullman and Robert Todd Lincoln. Robert Todd Lincoln was the son of President Abraham Lincoln. These families helped build Chicago into a big city. They also helped create places like the Art Institute of Chicago.
Today, the church is still active. It has a diverse group of members. It also helps the community in many ways. They offer meals, music, and after-school tutoring. They even have a basketball gym!
The Church's Original Look
For their new church on South Michigan Avenue, they again chose James Renwick. He designed the church to look like old English Gothic buildings. It had a tall, pointed roof and a round window. The outside is made of limestone. You can see sculptures of the Four Evangelists and Jesus's head. There are also gargoyles on the bell tower.
The inside was also very Gothic. It had pointed arches and thin iron columns. The new church building opened in 1874.
But in March 1900, a fire badly damaged the church's main worship area. The church asked one of its members, Howard Van Doren Shaw, to rebuild it. Shaw was a young architect. He knew a lot about the Arts and Crafts style from his travels.
A New Look Inside
Howard Van Doren Shaw worked with his friend, the painter Frederic Clay Bartlett. They rebuilt the church's inside in the Arts and Crafts style. Shaw made the roof lower. He also moved the support columns. This made the space look wider. He used warm oak wood and plaster panels.
The church was designed like an auditorium. It had no middle aisle. This was good for a church that focused on preaching and music. The seats are curved so everyone can see the pulpit. The decorations are rich but calm. They use colors like brown, red, and gold.
The church has many angels in glass, wood, and plaster. It also has two colorful saints in the lobby windows. This might seem surprising for a Presbyterian church. But the members were well-traveled. They wanted their church to be as artistic as the great churches in Europe.
Shaw and Bartlett made sure every part of the new inside worked together. They designed everything from the seats to the light fixtures. Leading Chicago artists helped. For example, the seven-armed candle holders were made by William Lau. The four angels above the organ were made by Beil & Mauch. Electric lights were used. Shaw even made the light bulbs part of the design!
You will see angels everywhere inside the church. There are about 175 of them! Another common design is the grapevine. You can find it on the ends of the seats and in Bartlett's paintings. The church has a large organ. It has 43 sets of pipes and 2,600 pipes in total.
Second Presbyterian Church is important for Chicago's history and art. Its beautiful inside is now getting more attention. You can take tours to see the art and architecture. A group called "Friends of Historic Second Church" helps care for the building. They also lead the tours.
Beautiful Murals
Frederic Clay Bartlett's murals are a highlight of the church. They were famous after they were finished. Bartlett studied painting in Europe. For the church, he was inspired by old medieval church painters. He wanted his art to show feelings and spirituality. He painted directly on the dry plaster walls. The paintings on the ceilings were done in his studio. Then they were put into the church.
Bartlett's figures have strong outlines. They wear colorful robes of blue, red, and green. He used a lot of gold leaf. He also made parts of the paintings stick out. This was done using a plaster method called pargeting.
The huge mural behind the altar is 40 feet wide. It shows the tree of life with a rainbow above it. Above that is a group of musicians in old-fashioned clothes. Bartlett made sure his rainbow matched the curve of the ceiling. His work in the balcony areas shows themes of praise and music. Bible verses are painted below the figures. Many of these murals have been cleaned and repaired recently.
Stunning Windows
When the church reopened in 1901, many windows had simple flower designs. These were made by Shaw's firm. But over time, special memorial windows were added. Now, only one window still shows Shaw's original work. The other windows were given by church members to remember loved ones.
Nine of the windows are from Louis Comfort Tiffany’s company. Tiffany was famous for new ways of working with glass. He made art from the glass itself. He used folded glass, confetti glass, and many layers of glass. The windows show Bible stories, landscapes, and designs.
At the east end of the church is a colorful window. It shows the Ascension, designed by William Fair Kline. Below it are symbols related to Jesus's suffering. Other windows were designed by Louis J. Millet and McCully & Miles.
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Pastoral window by Tiffany Studios, 1917
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Ascension window by William Fair Kline, 1903
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St. Cecilia window by Edward Burne-Jones, late 19th century
Two windows in the lobby connect the church to the British Arts and Crafts Movement. These windows were designed by Edward Burne-Jones. He worked closely with William Morris, who started the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain. These windows were made by Morris and Co. They show St. Margaret of Antioch and St. Cecilia. St. Margaret wears red robes. St. Cecilia wears blue robes and holds an organ. These windows are rare in the United States.
Many windows have been repaired in a big project. More window repairs are still happening.
See also
In Spanish: Segunda Iglesia Presbiteriana (Chicago) para niños
