Third Presbyterian Church (Springfield, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Third Presbyterian Church
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Front and side of the church
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 714 N. Limestone St., Springfield, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1894 |
| Architect | Charles A. Cregar; Russell Bros. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002958 |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 1980 |
The Third Presbyterian Church is an old church building in Springfield, Ohio, United States. It was built in 1894. This church has a special style called Romanesque Revival. It is located on Limestone Street in the northern part of the city. The Third Presbyterian Church was one of the last buildings designed by a famous architect from Springfield, Charles A. Cregar.
History of the Church Community
The first Presbyterian church in Springfield started on July 17, 1819. A second one began in 1860. These two churches worked together to run a special Sunday school. This school was for children in the northern part of the city. It started in late 1878.
Over time, more and more people from the northern neighborhoods joined these churches. Because of this, a new group was formed. This new group was called the Third Presbyterian Church. It officially started on May 11, 1891.
The new church group had over one hundred founding members. They soon started planning to build their own church home. The Russell Brothers company helped with the building work. Construction happened in late 1893. The new church building was officially opened on January 28, 1894.
The first leader of the church was Minister George H. Fullerton. During his time and the time of the next minister, the church grew a lot. By 1908, there were 346 members.
Later, the Third Presbyterian Church changed its name. It became known as Northminster Presbyterian Church. The church then moved to a new location on Villa Road, outside the city. The original building was later used by the Church of God Sanctified. In early 2014, a group from Fellowship Christian Church also began to worship in the building.
Church Building Design
The Third Presbyterian Church is one of the most important churches in Springfield. It also stands out among all the public buildings in the city. The church is made of brick. It sits on a strong base made of limestone. The roof is covered with slate. The building also has parts made of sandstone and terracotta.
What makes this church different from others in Springfield is its unique design. It has an unusual clerestory, which is a high section of wall with windows above eye level. It also has a special octagonal onion dome. An interesting thing about the dome is how it is supported. There are no columns inside the church to hold it up. This means the dome's weight is held by a group of arches. These arches work together to spread out the dome's heavy weight.
Experts who study buildings believe the shape and support of this dome are special. They think it might have been designed like the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. This church is the only one that architect Cregar designed with a dome. The outside of the church has always looked the same. No big changes have ever been made to it.
Special Recognition
In 1980, the Third Presbyterian Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important places in history. It is one of four churches in Springfield on this list. The others are St. Raphael's Catholic Church, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, and St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. All these churches were also designed by Charles A. Cregar.
The Third Presbyterian Church was added to the list because of its important architecture. Its design was considered very significant across all of Ohio. The most important part of its design, and why it is historically significant, is its unique octagonal onion dome.
