Former AME Methodist Church in Cincinnati Demolished 1980
Allen Temple, Cincinnati Ohio
The African Methodist Episcopal Church represents a very sophisticated architectural statement for such an early date.
The history of the AME church is integral with the early development of the city of Cincinnati and a monument to the early organizational efforts of its black citizens.
Erected in 1852, this building was the second house of worship for the Cincinnati Congregation of the Children of Israel, Beni Israel. Known as the Broadway Synagogue it was abandoned by the congregation around 1866-1869 who erected a new building known as the Mound Street Temple.
Today the church is commonly referred to as the Allen Temple and is occupied by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The AME was referred to as the first successfully organized effort of the African-Americans by Rev. B. W. Arnett a pastor of Allen Temple. In 1887 Arnett, as legislator from Greene County, wrote the bill abolishing the Black Laws. The history of the AME church in Cincinnati is integral with the cities early development. In 1815, the first religious society among blacks was formed in Cincinnati. The first houses of worship were not better than temporary shelters, but by 1834 funds had been raised to purchase property on 6th Street, east of Broadway. The name of this first permanent structure was "Old Bethel". The first annual African Methodist Episcopal conference was held in Cincinnati in 1846 and shortly after this the construction of the old Allen Chapel was begun. This chapel was used during the Civil War as an underground railroad. In 1870 the AME again relocated, this time at subject location, the Allen Temple. The Allen Temple is named in honor of William Allen, Cincinnati's first African-American preacher.
Even though the interior of the church has been altered, the exterior still retains its original character. An engraving from 1874 indicates that the exterior has been basically unchanged since that time. The flowing quality in the windows and doors and the arabesque quality of the roof line give this structure a design sense beyond its date of erection. Generally, buildings from this early date tend toward a severity and strictness of ornamentation. The graceful qualities of this building make it even more unusual in comparison.
By the mid-1970s the area surrounding the church changed, and the congregation shrank. Unable to support the maintenance costs of the building, it fell into disrepair. The church made unsuccessful pleas for help to save the structure, but by 1976 they were forced to put the building up of sale. Sometime between late 1977 and 1980, Proctor and Gamble purchased the building, and demolished it in 1980.
Building Description
Allen Temple is a brick, three story building, rectangular in plan and faced with masonry. The front is divided into three bays by engaged, polygonal shafts. These shafts are further divided at each story by shaft rings. The shafts extend beyond the roof line, achieving a minaret effect. The shafts are capped with rounded domes. There are four shafts across the front and rear of the building and two on each side. The roof is flat, but the roof line is decorated with an edge composed of concave and convex curves. The curves form a rounded gable over the center bay of the facade. The curvilinear edge is further emphasized by a prominent molding.
The windows are elongated with the tops cut into convex and concave curves that echo the roof line. The windows are drapped with curving hood molds.
The main entrance is recessed and surrounded by layers of molding forming a four-centered arch. An inscription in the gable reads:
The flowing, curvilinear lines of the church suggests some Flamboyant Gothic derivation, but this is largely subordinated by the attempt to achieve an eastern style of architecture.
The interior of the building consists of two floors reached by sissor stairs at the front of the building. The sanctuary is on the second floor and is composed of a vestibule area at the top of the stairs and a pair of large, double doors leading into the sanctuary. The interior has been altered over the years to conform with the change in denominations. However, the balcony at the rear and on either side of the sanctuary is believed to be original as is the basic structure of the interior. Today a large pointed niche occupies the front of the sanctuary and contains a large pipe organ. The ceiling has slightly pitched sides and a flat center area.
Front facade of church (1972)
Front and side of church (1972)
Interior showing sanctuary and pipe organ (1972)
Interior showing Nave (1972)
Interior Nave looking back to loft (1972)
