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{{Distinguish2|the thriving UU congregation at the corner of Cass and Forest.
See [http://1stuu.org First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit]}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox NRHP
{{Infobox NRHP

Revision as of 16:13, 12 May 2014

Template:Distinguish2

First Unitarian Church of Detroit
First Unitarian Church seen from Woodward
Location2870 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Built1889
ArchitectDonaldson and Meier
Architectural styleRomanesque
MPSReligious Structures of Woodward Ave. TR
NRHP reference No.82002899[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 3, 1982

The First Unitarian Church of Detroit, built in 1889, was located at 2870 Woodward Avenue in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[1] The original Unitarian congregation sold the building in 1937. Its ownership changed hands several times over the years since. In recent years the building was in poor condition because of abandonment. It was destroyed by fire on May 10, 2014.[2]

History

First Unitarian Church c. 1906

The First Congregational Unitarian Society was incorporated on October 6, 1850. This church, their second, was dedicated in November 1890.[3] The congregation used the church until 1934, when the widening of Woodward Avenue required a remodeling of the church. At that time, they worshiped with the Universalist Church of Our Father. This arrangement worked out so well that the two congregations merged.[3] The First Congregational building was then sold in 1937 to the Church of Christ denomination.[3] The building went through other owners before finally being abandoned during the 2000s. It sat empty and in poor condition until it was destroyed by a fire on May 10, 2014.

Architecture

The First Unitarian Church of Detroit was a Romanesque Revival-style church built of red sandstone. After its remodeling during the 1936 widening of Woodward, it remained substantially as built.[3] The gabled façade had a great expanse of masonry; a simple four-bay porch with a shed roof and stone Romanesque columns spanning the first floor. There was a two-story hip-roofed projection at the corner, and a side porch with stone piers covering a side entrance.[3]

References and further reading

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. ^ Muller, David (May 11, 2014). "Historic First Unitarian Church of Detroit partially demolished after blaze; Arson investigation underway". mlive.com. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e First Unitarian Church of Detroit from State of Michigan.
  • Hill, Eric J. and John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3.


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