Our HistUUry 4/1/2026
This year marks 120 years in our beloved church building! To celebrate, we’re diving into our archives and sharing fascinating tidbits from the past. Throughout the next few months, our Our HistUUry series will highlight stories, photos, and snippets that reveal the rich history of our congregation and the lives that have shaped it. Join us on this journey through time as we honor our past and the community that continues to thrive today.
2U recently celebrated the completion of a renovation of our cherished building—something the congregation that built it in 1906 could never have imagined. A small remnant of that original congregation, which had sold the large church at Dearborn and Waldon, relocated to Lakeview, rented space, and in 1904, found Rev. Fred Hawley. He brought both hope for growth and the need for a permanent home.
The congregation purchased a lot in the middle of the block on Barry Street (not a corner lot—Orchard Street never extended through to Barry) and hired architect John J. Flanders to design a modest Prairie-style building. The trustees were instructed to keep the total cost of building and grounds within $30,000, with an additional $2,000 added after some plan changes.
The committee in charge aimed to provide a building that, while avoiding unnecessary architectural display, would be within the congregation’s means and well-suited for both worship and the church’s social and charitable work.
The final cost of the building, excluding the organ (purchased with contributions from members and friends) and the carpets (a gift from the Ladies Aid Society), was $23,726.81. The lot cost $8,250, bringing the total expenditure to $31,976.81, all of which was debt-free.
Source: Looking Backward – A Word from Mr. Griggs, President of the Board of Trustees
