Ravenswood Presbyterian Church

In 1902, a small group of devout Presbyterians dreamt of a spiritual home in Ravenswood. They founded the Ravenswood Presbyterian Church. They initially held services in Library Hall at Hermitage and Montrose. Imagine their excitement as they laid the cornerstone for their first chapel on this very site in 1907. The Ravenswood Presbyterian Church quickly outgrew this modest chapel. In 1915, they commissioned the renowned Chicago architects Pond & Pond to design a grand new church. These architects also designed several Hull House buildings, the Stevens Building downtown, and the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church. For $43,000, the current sanctuary rose, a testament to their growing congregation and unwavering faith. The church’s magnificent organ boasted chimes, a generous gift from the Deagan Company. Years later, in 1949, the church underwent a significant transformation. Architect Benjamin Franklin Olson led the renovation, updating the structure and replacing the 1906 parish house. This $225,000 project resulted in the blonde stone building we see today at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church. Little remains of the original 1915 exterior. Yet, the spirit of those early congregants lives on within these walls.