| Address | Not stated |
|---|---|
| Built | Not stated |
| Architect | Not stated |
| Status | Designated Chicago Landmark |
| Designation Date | June 14, 1995 (Final) |
| Type | Place of worship |
Interior spaces protected by this designation
- all exterior elevations and roofs of the church and parish house; all interior spaces and features of the church (except the basement); and the former "guild hall" on the second floor of the interior of the parish house (excluding all other spaces in the parish house).
Not covered by the designation
- The south annex, built in 1957, is not included in the designation.
Direct quotes from the Chicago Landmark Designation Report
“It was designed by Edward Burling and Francis Whitehouse, whose firm was one of the first to introduce it to Chicago in the 1880s. This building's success was reflected in the commissions its architects subsequently received to design important Episcopal churches in other Midwestern cities, carrying their interpretation of the Richardsonian Romanesque as far west as Kansas City.”
“ASHLAND AVE. ADAMS ST. The proposed landmark (shaded area) includes the church and its parish house. The south annex, built in 1957, is not included in the designation.”
“The Interior: A Well-Preserved Example of Victorian Design The rough nature of the building's sandstone exterior stands in marked contrast to the richness of its interior. Built of the highest quality materials (cherry wood, decorative terra cotta, carved stone, and glass mosaics), it is one of the best preserved Victorian-era church interiors in the city.”
“A Gothic style, marble baptismal font, which is located near the front entrance, is the sole surviving feature of the original Church of the Epiphany, which was built in 1868 at the corner of Throop and Adams streets.”
“(The other interior spaces in the parish house are no longer intact.) With the notable exception of the stolen stair glass, the interior of the church retains an exceptional high degree of integrity, conveying a complete pictur the building's original form, detail, and finishes.”
“One of the earliest of this country's Richardsonian Romanesque buildings is Trinity Church in Boston (above right, 1873-77). Below, a painting of H.H. Richardson, who formulated the style.”
“Founded in 1868, and occupying its current site at Ashland Avenue and Adams Street since 1886, the Church of the Epiphany has had a long-standing presence on the Near West Side.”
“The Church of the Epiphany is one of the most distinguished examples of Richardsonian Romanesque in Chicago, due to the quality of materials and workmanship and the sophistication of its design.”
“Richly decorated interiors were an important aspect of 19th-century church decor. The walls of the Church of the Epiphany include a floor-to-ceiling sequence of wood wainscoting, terra-cotta tiles, and stenciled plaster (as seen surrounding one of the front doors, right).”
“The use of ornamental terra cotta on interior walls, which is highly unusual, is one of the more distinctive features of the Church of the Epiphany. Above these terra-cotta tiles, on the portion of the walls that is plastered, there had formerly been decorative stencils.”