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First Congregational Church and Chambers, Murphy & Burge Restoration Architects
Akron
Located in downtown Akron, First Congregational Church is dedicated to staying in the heart of the
city. Members are working to revitalize Market Street, starting with their own surroundings. In
planning for the next 100 years, they have embraced their history as Akron’s oldest congregation
by restoring their 1910 sanctuary, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Though the building had been well-maintained, over the past century many of the original details
had been altered or removed. Through careful research and some fortuitous discoveries during
construction, the 1910 color palette has been recreated, as has ornamental painting on the walls
and the restored plaster ceiling. An original ceramic tile floor in the narthex has been exposed
and restored; doors and woodwork have been cleaned and refinished; the chancel and choir loft have
been reworked to make them accessible to all and to improve the safety of those who use them; the
organ has been restored; and the organ screen of stenciled pipes--focal point of the sanctuary
until it was removed in the 1950s--has been recreated.
Past Recipients:
For a list of past Ohio Historic Preservation Office Award recipients
click here.
The Ohio Historic Preservation Office is Ohio's official historic preservation agency. A part of
the Ohio Historical Society, it identifies historic places in Ohio, nominates properties to the
National Register of Historic Places, reviews federally-assisted projects for effects on Ohio's
historic, architectural, and archaeological resources, consults on the conservation of older
buildings and sites, and offers educational programs and publications.
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