Angels. Can you count them all? There are 175 angels watching over us here at Second Presbyterian Church. This isn’t just any church. Second Presbyterian Church is a landmark of Gothic Revival architecture. It stands proudly on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
Second Presbyterian Church has a rich history dating back to 1842. It began as an offshoot of Chicago’s first Presbyterian congregation. Prominent families like the Pullmans and Armours attended services here. Even Robert Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln’s son, was a trustee.
Originally, Second Presbyterian Church stood at Wabash Avenue and Washington Street. People called it the “spotted church” because of tar deposits in its limestone. James Renwick Jr. designed that building. He later designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed the spotted church. The congregation then moved to the South Side.
For its new building, the congregation again hired James Renwick. He designed a Gothic church with a rose window and a bell tower. The sanctuary was dedicated in 1874.
Tragedy struck again in 1900. A fire gutted the sanctuary. The church turned to Howard Van Doren Shaw for the rebuilding. Shaw was a member and a talented architect.
Shaw transformed the interior into an Arts and Crafts masterpiece. He lowered the roof and widened the space. Shaw created an auditorium-style sanctuary that could seat 1200. The pews are curved for better views of the pulpit.
Frederic Clay Bartlett, a painter and friend of Shaw, collaborated on the design. Together, they created a harmonious space. The interior features warm oak and plaster panels. The colors are subdued with browns, buffs, and crimson.
The art inside Second Presbyterian Church is surprising for a Presbyterian church. There are angels everywhere in glass, wood, and plaster. Two colorful saints grace the lobby windows. Members wanted their church to rival the great cathedrals of Europe.
Shaw and Bartlett designed every detail to create a unified space. William Lau created the electric candelabra. Beil & Mauch crafted the heralding angels atop the organ case. Electric lighting was used throughout, exposing the bulbs as design elements.
Recurring motifs like angels and grapevines tie the interior together. The grapevine appears on pew ends and in Bartlett’s murals.
Bartlett’s murals are a highlight of the sanctuary. He drew inspiration from medieval church painters. His figures have bold outlines and wear robes of blue, crimson, and green. He used gold leaf and a plaster technique called pargeting.
The mural behind the altar depicts the tree of life with a rainbow above. A celestial orchestra plays in the background. Bartlett’s murals emphasize praise, abundance, and sacred music.
Second Presbyterian Church also boasts stunning stained-glass windows. Nine of them are by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany used innovative techniques with glass. The windows depict Biblical scenes and landscapes. William Fair Kline designed the Ascension window. Louis J. Millet and McCully & Miles also designed windows.
Two windows in the lobby were designed by Edward Burne-Jones. These connect Second Presbyterian to the British Arts and Crafts movement. The windows depict St. Margaret and St. Cecilia. These Burne-Jones windows are rare in the United States.
Today, Second Presbyterian Church stands as a testament to Chicago’s history. Its interior is an Arts and Crafts treasure. Friends of Historic Second Church offer tours and oversee restoration. The church also serves the community with meals, music, and tutoring.
Take a look around and feel the artistry that surrounds you. Second Presbyterian Church is a place of beauty, history, and community. It is a true Chicago landmark.