St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Springfield, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church
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Eastern facade
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 27 N. Wittenberg Ave., Springfield, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1897 |
| Architect | Charles A. Cregar |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000485 |
| Added to NRHP | June 7, 2006 |
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church is a very old and important church in Springfield, Ohio. It started as a church for people who spoke German. Over time, it grew a lot! The big church building you see today was built in the 1890s. A famous architect from Springfield helped design it. This church is still used by its community and is considered a special historic site.
Contents
The Church's Early Days
The first Lutheran group in Springfield started in May 1841. Soon after, another group of German Lutherans began meeting. For a while, they met in the county courthouse and other rented places.
Becoming an Official Church
In 1845, the German Lutheran group officially became a church. They started with 75 members. Many different ministers led the church over the years. By the 1880s, about 400 people were part of the church.
Building a New Home
As the church grew, they decided to build a new, bigger building. The first stone for the new church was laid on November 3, 1895. The finished building was officially opened on April 26, 1897.
By 1908, the church had grown even more. It had 450 families as members! Many members still spoke German, but the church also started having services in English. This was helped by a minister who could speak both languages.
Church Design and Style
St. John's Church was designed by Charles A. Cregar. He was one of the most important architects in Springfield. The church is built in a style called Romanesque Revival. This style often uses round arches and strong, sturdy shapes.
Materials and Features
The church is mostly made of brick. But it also has a lot of limestone and other types of stone in its walls. The roof is made of asphalt. The bottom part of the church, called the foundation, is made from a mix of sandstone and other stones.
The main door is at the bottom of a tall tower. This tower has narrow, arched windows on three levels. Above these windows, there are tall openings that protect the belfry, where the church bells are.
Because the church is on a street corner, two sides of the building have large, pointed sections called gables. These gables rise above groups of small windows. The two biggest windows in the church are found in these gables. They are much taller and wider than any door or other window in the building.
Recent History and Importance
St. John's is still an active church today. It is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The church helps people in need, works with other churches, and even offers day care services. All these activities happen in the same building that was built in 1897.
In 2006, St. John's Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historic site because of its amazing architecture. It is one of six buildings designed by Charles A. Cregar that are on this list. Other buildings include St. Joseph's Catholic Church and the former Municipal Building.
