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Unitarian Universalist Church (Ann Arbor, Michigan) facts for kids

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Unitarian Universalist Church
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Unitarian Universalist Church (Ann Arbor, Michigan) is located in Michigan
Unitarian Universalist Church (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Location in Michigan
Unitarian Universalist Church (Ann Arbor, Michigan) is located in the United States
Unitarian Universalist Church (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Location in the United States
Location 100 N. State Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Area less than one acre
Built 1881–82
Built by Walker Bros.
Architect Donaldson and Meier
Architectural style Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference No. 78001513
Added to NRHP October 4, 1978

The Unitarian Universalist Church is a historic building in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is also known as Grace Bible Church or First Unitarian Church. This beautiful building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It has a long and interesting history, serving different groups over the years.

History of the Ann Arbor Church

Early Days and Construction

The First Unitarian Society of Ann Arbor started in 1865. They first met in what used to be the Methodist Church. In 1878, Dr. Jabez T. Sunderland became the pastor. A pastor is a leader of a church. One of his first big goals was to build a new church.

Dr. Sunderland worked hard to raise money. He collected $19,000 for the new building. The church group, called a congregation, hired a famous architecture company. This company was Donaldson and Meier from Detroit. They designed the building. Construction started in 1881. The stonework was done by the Walker Brothers firm from Ann Arbor. The church building was finished in 1882.

Changes Over Time

In 1920, a student center was added to the church. The Unitarian congregation used the building until 1946. That year, they moved to a new location. The Grace Bible Church congregation bought the building in 1946.

Later, in 1971, Grace Bible Church leased the building. They rented it to the Bible Church of True Holiness. Grace Bible Church moved to a different street in 1975. The building was sold again in 1985. A company called D. B. Associates Ltd. bought it.

The building was getting old and needed repairs. The new owners fixed up the inside and outside. They made it a home for an architecture company. During these renovations, something cool was found. Workers discovered an old Tiffany window. This special window was from the 1890s. It had been covered up since the 1930s.

What the Church Looks Like

The Ann Arbor First Unitarian Church is a two-story building. It is built in a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. This style often uses heavy stone and round arches. The church is made of large, cut stones called ashlar. It has stripes of darker stone for decoration.

The roof has a cross-gabled shape. This means it has two parts that cross each other. At the back of the building, there is a square tower. This tower has a pointed roof, like a pyramid, called a hip roof. It also has small turrets, which are like tiny towers.

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