At the corner of North Hermitage Avenue and West Montrose Avenue
In 1869, as the Ravenswood Land Company was building streets and laying out the subdivision, it offered land to any congregation that would build a church. Other church groups tried to raise funds, or a building, but the Congregationalists were the first to succeed. The original church on this site was a small and simple building. The later building was almost wholly from a $14,000 “refurbishment.” The church was remodeled several times since 1885.
4401 N Hermitage. The smaller building is the original church building. Illustration credit: First Congregational Church of Ravenswood
The first pastor, Rev. William Lloyd, lived on the southwest corner of Hermitage and Sunnyside. In addition to his work at the church. Rev. Lloyd also kept a cow and supplied several families in the area with fresh milk. This was not unusual. Cows were pastured in the area through at least the 1890’s according to Sophie Chandler, an early resident whose reminiscences are among the Ravenswood Lake View Historical Association collection at Conrad Sulzer Regional Library.
This intersection was an important gathering place for the community in the 19th century. Not only was the church often used for concerts and other programs by community groups, but in 1884, on the opposite corner ,where the parking lot is today, the Ravenswood Historical Society erected a building known as Library Hall. Designed by Holabird and Roche, the building housed the first ‘public’ library in the community on the ground floor. A large hall used for meetings, concerts and dances filled the second floor. In 1894 the Ravenswood Masonic Lodge signed a 20-year lease and commissioned W. L Klewer to add a third floor to the building. The building, however, continued to be used for community meetings and programs of the historical society through World War I. By 1929, after the Masons had moved to thier new building at Paulina and Wilson, Library Hall was vacant. Eventually it was torn down and a gas station was operated on the site.
Library Hall. Credit: Archives of the Ravenswood Lake View Historical Association
SOURCES
Parish records, CCL survey, Recorder of Deeds Office. No permits. Archives of Sulzer Library.
WALKING DIRECTIONS TO NEXT LOCATION
Continue the tour to 4307 North Hermitage Avenue.
- The next stop is in the next block, on the left, before the next corner.
- Click the ‘Continue the Tour’ button below when you’ve reached your destination.