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First Congregational Church of Austin

Architect
William Eugene Drummond
Year
1908
Style
Prairie School
City
Chicago, IL
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First Congregational Church of Austin, now known as Greater Holy Temple of God in Christ, was designed in 1905 by William Eugene Drummond after the congregation's original building burned down on June 4, 1905. It is an unusual Prairie School church, and its design is credited with influencing Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple.

the building

Piers and recessed entrance. The one-story building has a tall central section framed by massive piers, flanked by smaller sections on either side. The entrance is recessed into the base of the central section, with lintels and posts that continue the building's rectilinear lines, while leaded glass windows sit recessed between the piers.

the style

Drummond's design is a rare instance of the Prairie School applied to a church rather than a house, and it is cited as an influence on Wright's Unity Temple, designed shortly after this building went up.

More on Prairie School

the architect

William Eugene Drummond studied under Louis Sullivan and worked at times in Frank Lloyd Wright's studio before designing this church in 1905.

significance

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 17, 1977. The building has since been used by Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, and Church of God in Christ congregations.

nearby

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