This Indy Church Building Burned on Christmas Eve 2024

First Lutheran Church - Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church, Indianapolis Indiana

Date added: December 27, 2024

Categories:
Indiana
Church

View from southwest corner of Pennsylvania & Walnut Streets (1977)

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Built as Mount Pisgah Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Church of Indianapolis was significant primarily for architectural reasons. The two sections of the building represent Gothic and Romanesque Revival styles of architecture. The pointed-arched windows, gable ends, and corner buttresses indicate the Gothic Revival influence in the chapel. The round-arched windows, recessed panels, arched transoms, and corbel table reveal the Romanesque design used in the main sanctuary. The First Lutheran Church is especially notable in that it combines in one building the two architectural styles that late nineteenth-century Americans most often associated with religious structures. The structure was built in two parts. Its chapel was constructed in 1875 and was used as the primary worship space until a sanctuary was completed in 1886.

Peter P. Cookingham was the architect for the 1875 chapel, and he may have also drawn up plans at that time for the future sanctuary. Little is known about Cookingham other than the fact that he was practicing in Indianapolis in 1875; he was evidently not in the city in 1885-86 when the sanctuary was constructed.

The First Lutheran Church is also notable locally as the oldest Lutheran congregation in the area. Organized in 1837 as the Mount Pisgah Lutheran Church, the congregation has led to the organization of five area churches over the years (Zion United Church of Christ, 1841; Pleasant View Lutheran, 1844; Gethsemane Lutheran, 1921; Bethlehem Lutheran, 1923; and First Latvian Lutheran, 1947). In 1920 the convention to organize the Indiana Synod was held at First Lutheran; and the first Indiana-Kentucky Synod Office was located in the church.

The Church has been continually involved in the life of the surrounding neighborhood, meeting social and spiritual needs of the residents. The Indianapolis Near East Side Community Organization (NESCO) was organized in the building in 1970.

The Church closed several years ago and was converted for use as an event venue, mainly used for weddings.

On December 24^th, 2024, around 5am, a fire broke out in the building and completely gutted it. It was demolished on December 26^th, 2024.

First Lutheran Church building destroyed in fire. What to know about the historic site

Historic downtown Indianapolis church demolished after Christmas Eve fire

Building Description

Mt. Pisgah Lutheran (now First Lutheran) Church is located in downtown Indianapolis at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Walnut Streets.

The existing rectangular brick structure was constructed in two sections. The original section was erected in 1875 and is now the rear (east) portion of the structure. This first portion was constructed as a chapel and is used as such today, although the congregation used it as their house of worship until the sanctuary was completed in 1886. Both sections rest on a raised foundation of limestone blocks. The original section has Gothic Revival features such as a high gabled slate roof and windows which are long and narrow with pointed Gothic arches; the windows are dressed with limestone trim. There are brick turret buttresses at the corners. A cross rests at the gable peak on top of a decorated cornice. The original entrance was through the double doors in the south facade. The transom above the entrance contains the letters, "Luther Chapel".

The sanctuary was started in 1885 and completed in 1886 on the limestone foundation laid in 1875. This section suggests a Romanesque Revival style of architecture. The four windows along each side of the nave have round arches and are set in recessed round-arched panels. The panels are divided by brick buttresses with limestone caps. The west elevation has a rose window above a large stained glass, round-arched window. This facade has two double-door entrances with stained glass transoms. A gable roof over the south entrance is supported by brackets.

There is a stone cross on the gable peak at the west facade. The slate roof stops short on the sides at the west end to reveal round-arched vents supporting the roof over the nave; originally this may have been intended for bells. The north and south sides have brick bracketed corbel tables.

There have been few alterations to the church since 1886. In 1898 a pipe organ was installed behind the altar on a raised platform. The second major set of alterations occurred in 1915. An entrance to the basement was cut in the south side of the building next to the original entrance to the chapel. Plain glass windows along the sides of the sanctuary were replaced with stained glass, and the large window in the west elevation was replaced with stained glass portraying the Good Shepard. A false ceiling was also installed in the sanctuary to aid the acoustics and heating, and gas lights were replaced with electric fixtures. Restrooms, a new heating system, and a second floor in the Chapel were installed. A complete basement was excavated, and a poured concrete floor was added.