Trinity United Methodist Church (Evansville, Indiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Trinity United Methodist Church
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 216 Third St., Evansville, Indiana |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1866 |
| MPS | Downtown Evansville MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82005248 |
| Added to NRHP | July 1, 1982 |
Trinity United Methodist Church is a very old and important church in Evansville, Indiana. It's a Methodist church located right in the city center. People started gathering here as a Methodist group way back in 1825. The beautiful brick building you see today was finished in 1866. Because of its history and special design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's recognized as a place worth protecting.
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Building Trinity Church: Design and Construction
The company Mursinna & Boyd designed the main part of the church. It is about 150 feet long and 76 feet wide. They based their design on another church, St. Paul’s M. E. Church in Newark, New Jersey. That church was finished in 1856.
In 1864, a local newspaper, the Evansville Daily Journal, wrote about the church. It said the church hoped to build "one of the very handsomest church edifices in the whole western country."
Construction During the Civil War
Work on the church started in early 1864. This was right in the middle of the American Civil War. Building during this time was very hard. Many people from the church were fighting in the war. Their families at home also faced a lot of stress.
By June 1865, an upper meeting room was ready. This room was later called Craig Hall. Church services were held there until the main part of the church was finished. The main church building was completed in the spring of 1866. It was officially opened on March 25, 1866. About 400,000 bricks were used to build it!
Inside and Outside the Church
The original church had a large main room for services. It also had three classrooms and a room for the minister. There was a meeting room for the church leaders. On the second floor, there was a lecture room. This room was 36 by 68 feet and was later named Craig Hall.
In the 1920s, Trinity added a new section. This part was built in the Tudor style. It included more classrooms, offices, a kitchen, and a full gym.
Gothic Style Features
Before the 1840s, buildings often had Greek Revival designs. These included columns and large decorative edges. But by the 1840s, Gothic-style buildings became popular. This was because of the Romantic movement in Europe. People rediscovered the tall, pointed arches of the Middle Ages.
Trinity's outside looks just like St. Paul’s M. E. Church in Newark. The only differences are the height of the spires and the size of the windows. Inside, Trinity is quite different. Its ceiling and windows are much higher than those in the Newark church.
Trinity's front has two very tall spires. One spire is on each side, reaching high into the sky. This kind of tall front was common for Gothic churches in Europe. By choosing two spires, the architects made Trinity different from most American Gothic churches. American churches usually had only one spire at the front.
Trinity Church does not have cross-ribbed vaults. These are common in Gothic Revival buildings. However, it does have other Gothic features. These include strong supports called buttresses. It also has pointed arches and an eight-sided steeple. These details give the church its beautiful Gothic look.
Trinity Church: A Rich History
Trinity Church started as a small Methodist group in 1825. Robert Parrett and 11 other people in Evansville formed it. Their first building was built in 1839. It was in downtown Evansville, between Second and Third Streets, on the south side of Locust Street. They called it the Locust Street Methodist Episcopal Church.
By 1860, the church members started planning the larger building that stands today. The minister during the construction was Rev. Albion Fellows. He was the father of two famous sisters. One was Albion Fellows Bacon, a social reformer. The other was Annie Fellows Johnston, an author. Both sisters got married at the church on the same day, October 11, 1888. Because the church moved away from Locust Street, it needed a new name. The members chose Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church.
Trinity Church has helped start many other Methodist churches in the area. It also helped create or support many important groups. These include the University of Evansville and local chapters of the YWCA. It also helped start Habitat for Humanity, Tri-State Food Bank, soup kitchens, and Meals on Wheels.
Many important people from Evansville have been members of Trinity Church. These include the Bacon family, the Ingle family, and the Iglehart family. Lee H. Hamilton, who was a Congressman, was also a member. His father was the pastor of Trinity from 1943 to 1953.
