Second Presbyterian Church
Historic church in Illinois. Built 1874 by Howard Van Doren Shaw. Added to the National Register in 1974, and a National Historic Landmark.
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What it is
Second Presbyterian Church is a landmark Gothic Revival church located on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, United States. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, some of Chicago's most prominent families attended this church. It is renowned for its interior, completely redone in the Arts and Crafts style after a disastrous fire in 1900. The sanctuary is one of America's best examples of an unaltered Arts and Crafts church interior, fully embodying that movement's principles of simplicity, hand craftsmanship, and unity of design. It also boasts nine imposing Tiffany windows. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and later designated a Chicago Landmark on September 28, 1977. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in March 2013.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 1936 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL |
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | Dec 27, 1974 |
| Listed for | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 74000754 |
| Built | 1874 · more from the 1870s |
| Architect | Howard Van Doren Shaw, James Renwick Jr. |
| Type of place | church building |
| Style | Gothic Revival, Arts and Crafts movement |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, Chicago 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 | 1936 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL |
| Coordinates | 41.8558° N, 87.6243° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Chicago | 419 listed places in Chicago → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Pullman National Historical Park · 11 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | West Beach Picnic Shelters 27 miles · Chellberg Farm Picnic Shelters 32 miles · Dunbar Group Site 34 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 8 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Cook County
Local history books for Chicago
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Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Illinois
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Second Presbyterian Church listed on the National Register?
Dec 27, 1974. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Second Presbyterian Church built?
1874, designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw and James Renwick Jr., in the Gothic Revival and Arts and Crafts movement style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Second Presbyterian Church?
Yes. Second Presbyterian Church is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Second Presbyterian Church?
1936 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The nearest national park unit is Pullman National Historical Park, 11 miles away.
Source: Pullman National Historical Park
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Second Presbyterian Church?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Second Presbyterian Church?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Second Presbyterian Church?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is West Beach Picnic Shelters, 27 miles away. Chellberg Farm Picnic Shelters is 32 miles away, and Dunbar Group Site is 34 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Second Presbyterian 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 74000754. 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. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.