History of Second Presbyterian Church

In 1842, Second Presbyterian Church was organized with 26 members. James Renwick, a prominent East Coast architect, was commissioned in 1847 to design a new church. Four years later a Gothic Revival church was completed at the corner of Wabash and Washington Streets. The Great Chicago Fire of October 1871 destroyed the church. Renwick was once again retained to design a new church at the Church’s current location, the northwest corner of South Michigan Avenue and Cullerton Street. The Gothic Revival church was completed three years later. In 1900, a fire destroyed the roof and extensive smoke and water damage devastated the interior. The young architect, Howard Van Doren Shaw and muralist Frederic Clay Bartlett collaborated on a design to rebuild the sanctuary.

Murals

Frederic Clay Bartlett painted the wall murals. The large west wall mural depicts the Tree of Life,
a rainbow, and a procession of angels with medieval musical instruments in the starry heavens.
The painted balcony arches depict angels praising and celebrating.

Windows

Nine windows made by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company and Tiffany Studios span the years 1892-1917 and illustrate a diversity of motifs and glassmaking techniques offered by Louis Comfort Tiffany’s firms. There are also other important works of stained glass, including two windows designed by Edward Burne-Jones for William Morris & Company; one by Healy & Millet, a renowned Chicago firm; six windows designed by William Fair Kline for Church Glass & Decorating Company of New York; and two by the Chicago firm of McCully & Miles.

Photos by Martin Cheung