First Congregational Church of Detroit

The First Congregational Church of Detroit is significant as a unique edifice combining features of Romanesque and Byzantine architecture. It is a major visual landmark on Woodward Avenue, the central artery of Detroit. The First Congregational Society in Detroit was formed in 1844. The original church was located at Jefferson and Beaubien, near the Detroit River. The present church building, located almost three miles north of the Detroit River, was dedicated in 1891. Designed by noted Boston architect John Lyman Faxon, it combines the massiveness of Romanesque architecture with the color and liveliness of Byzantine art. The overall impression of permanency resulting from rough-faced masonry, round-headed windows, and general Romanesque heaviness is not diminished by the touch of lightness which results from the colorful red, green, and yellow detailing on the gable ends and the openness of the Woodward Avenue facade. The effect is one of power plus beauty. The main Byzantine touches include the cushion capitals with convex sides supporting the loggia arches and the interior color scheme of blue and maroon. The Greek cross design of the nave is not obvious from the floor plan of the church but it provides additional evidence of the Byzantine influence when the space is experienced. The influence of St. Mark's, Venice, and other early Christian churches is evident in the campanile and the five arches of the entrance. A 1920s addition by Albert Kahn is linked unobtrusively to the northeast corner of the original building. Visually, it sets apart from the main structure and, though different in style and material (it is red brick), does not detract from the character and integrity of Faxon's original design. Detroit is a city blessed with many churches that are outstanding architecturally. Whether compared with the exquisite Gothic Fort Street Presbyterian, the colorful Florentine St. Mary's or the solid Richardsonian Church of the Holy Rosary, the First Congregational Church must be considered exceptional. Its massing, color, and unique combination of influences make it one of the more significant structures in Detroit.

The First Congregational Church of Detroit is constructed of rough-faced red sandstone. The Woodward Avenue (west) facade is fronted by a flight of nine steps leading up to an arched loggia. The large central arch of the loggia is symmetrically flanked by two pairs of progressively smaller arches. Clusters of columns with cushion capitals support the arches. Three bands of multi-colored (predominantly green and yellow) decorative stonework line the loggia above the arches. Two entrances, each containing large, double wooden doors, pierce the main facade beneath the loggia. A row of four windows runs along the facade between the entrances. Above the loggia the facade rises in a broad gable end surmounted by a carved stone cross. The gable end contains a large round-headed arch within which are two rows of arcaded windows; seven arches above, five larger arches below. Below the peak of the gable is a Palladian motif window surrounded by multi-colored patterns. The basic plan of the church is the form of a Greek cross. The north and south wings present gabled facades dominated by huge circular stained glass windows, with circular patterns, above a row of five arched windows which repeat the pattern of the loggia arches. A campanile rises from the intersection of the south and west wings. All four faces of the tower contain three tiers of arcading. A low copper covered spire is topped by a winged statue. A separate chapel and church office structure is connected to the church through a vestibule to the south of the altar. The interior of the chapel has a steeply pitched roof and exposed wooden trusses. The interior of the church contains a wood panelled narthex with opaque windows along the nave wall. The wood doors leading to the nave are carved in a rope design. Inside the nave, the walls are lined with a gilt plaster molding (approximately four feet above the floor) in a repeating pattern of doves, leaves, and medallions. The nave ceilings are painted in a pattern of blue and maroon. A large, cross shaped chandelier is suspended from the crossing beneath paintings of the four evangelists. The paintings were done on canvas which was mounted on the ceiling. A red brick addition containing kitchen, dining room, reception room, and basement gymnasium was added to the chapel in 1920. It is connected to the north end of the chapel and wraps around the north side of the main building. The red of the brick blends well with the slightly lighter hue of the sandstone.