First Christian Church
Building and congregation in Indiana. Added to the National Register in 2001, and a National Historic Landmark.
.jpg/960px-Post_Office%2C_Columbus%2C_Indiana_(73835).jpg)
.jpg/960px-Tabernacle_Church_of_Christ%2C_Columbus%2C_Indiana_(73833).jpg)
.jpg/960px-Tabernacle_Church_of_Christ%2C_west_wing%2C_Columbus%2C_Indiana_(73839).jpg)
What it is
The First Christian Church is a church building at 531 Fifth Street in Columbus, Indiana, United States. The building was designed by Eliel Saarinen, with some details overseen by his son Eero Saarinen and his associate Charles Eames. Built in 1942, it was the first modern-style building in Columbus and one of the first churches in the United States to be built in a contemporary architectural style. It houses the First Christian Church congregation, which is nondenominational and was founded in 1855 as the Christian Congregation in Columbus. The building has received praise for its design over the years and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 531 Fifth St., Columbus, IN |
| County | Bartholomew County |
| Listed | Jan 3, 2001 |
| Listed for | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 01000067 |
| Type of place | church building |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 531 Fifth St., Columbus, IN |
| Coordinates | 39.2029° N, 85.9190° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Columbus | 22 listed places in Columbus → |
| Nearest national park unit | William Howard Taft National Historic Site · 76 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Hickory Ridge Campground 25 miles · Blackwell Campground 28 miles · Hardin Ridge 30 miles |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Bartholomew County
Local history books for Columbus
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Indiana travel guides
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was First Christian Church listed on the National Register?
Jan 3, 2001. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit First Christian Church?
Yes. First Christian Church is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is First Christian Church?
531 Fifth St., Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana. The nearest national park unit is William Howard Taft National Historic Site, 76 miles away.
Where is the nomination form for First Christian Church?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near First Christian Church?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Hickory Ridge Campground, 25 miles away. Blackwell Campground is 28 miles away, and Hardin Ridge is 30 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at First Christian Church?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 01000067. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.