| Address | 515 N. Pine Avenue, Chicago, IL |
|---|---|
| Built | 1902 1928 |
| Architect | Brown, Burton & Davis; School Building: E. E. Roberts & Elmer C. Roberts |
| Status | Designated Chicago Landmark |
| Designation Date | February 18, 2026 (Final)City Council Journal of the Proceedings, p. 40967 |
| Neighborhood | Austin |
| Type | Place of worship |
| Landmark ID | L-407 |
Direct quotes from the Chicago Landmark Designation Report
“On July 8, 1866, the original members left Union Park Baptist and formed their own independent congregation taking the name Providence. A Rev. Evans was installed as the first pastor with a salary of $200 per year.”
“Dr. Thornton guided the congregation to purchase this church at 1857 W. Jackson Blvd. Source: Original Providence Baptist Historical Society. (Bottom) Original Providence Baptist was hit by Urban Renewal again in 1969 when the Jackson Blvd. church was demolished to make way for the first campus of Malcom X College.”
“Rev. Euclid Todd served as Interim Pastor for three years until Rev. James A. Missick came to lead Original Providence Baptist Church from 1991 until 2008. He was succeeded by the first woman to lead the congregation, Rev.”
“There was entrepreneur and the first female self-made millionaire in America, Madame C. J. Walker who came to the church to speak on Civil Rights. There was too Roscoe Conkling Simmons, an African American journalist and community leader who strongly supported the Republican Party.”
“As the racial makeup in Austin changed, the Austin Second Baptist Church was unsuccessful in attracting African Americans and the congregation moved to Oak Park in 1971 when it merged into the First Baptist Church of Oak Park.”
“Many Protestant churches of this “Akron Plan” type were built across the United States from the 1870's through the 1920s. What seems significant is that the adherence to the Protestant ideas of orientation to the pulpit and the limited integration of Sunday School activities into the worship services of the entire congregation resulted in a dramatic change in church configuration.”
“Over its long history, the congregation and pastors at Original Providence Baptist Church have committed to not only spiritual development and fellowship, but also to civil rights, education, political engagement, charity, and culture, particularly in music and architecture.”
“The land on which the church stood became the first campus of Malcolm X. College. Forced to move again, Original Providence relocated in 1969 to a church at 3040 W. Washington Blvd. where it remained for three years.”
“The property consists of a church building built in 1902 and attached school building from 1928, both built by the First Baptist Church of Austin. The church is an excellent example of early twentieth century church architecture in an eclectic Neo-Tudor style built according to the “Akron Plan” in 1902.”
“In 1866 the congregation either built or purchased its first church building at 26 N. Irving Pl. (later Perch St., now 314 N. Bell Ave. between Kinzie and Fulton streets).”