Property Record
363 S MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Our Saviour's English Evangelical Lutheran Church |
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| Other Name: | Church of Our Saviour |
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| Reference Number: | 54470 |
| Location (Address): | 363 S MAIN ST |
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| County: | Fond du Lac |
| City: | Fond du Lac |
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| Year Built: | 1925 |
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| Additions: | 1937 |
| Survey Date: | 2010 |
| Historic Use: | house of worship |
| Architectural Style: | Late Gothic Revival |
| Structural System: | Unknown |
| Wall Material: | Stone - Unspecified |
| Architect: | Parkinson and Dockendorff |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | Previously surveyed in 1988. Faced with limestone, this gabled, Neo-Gothic Revival-style church is accessed at the center from a dual staircase that rises to the main level of the church. The actual entrance itself is recessed within a Gothic-arched, stone-trimmed opening, above which is a large, Gothic-arched window. A secondary entrance is located along the street level to the south, while an archway extends from the block to the north. Stone buttressing lines each of the north and south side walls, thus creating bays within which rests a Gothic-arched window like the primary elevation. Gabled wall dormers are located to both the north and south, near the front (west) entrance. A one-story, gabled #28;bay#29; connects the church and the educational wing, the latter of which was constructed in 1961. The one- story and raised basement Sunday School wing is essentially Contemporary in design; however, an attempt to match materials and styling was made at the north and south ends, with the incorporation of gables. A final stone-sheathed addition, which included an elevator, was completed along the rear of the church in 1982 at a cost of $106,000. The congregation of the subject Church of Our Saviour held their first services on 24 October 1924 in the YMCA building near 1st and Portland streets. The congregation, which was originally organized as Our Saviour's English Evangelical Lutheran Church, was chartered in April 1925 with forty-seven members and accepted to the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of NW ULCA. Also in 1925, the congregation purchased two lots at its current location at S. Main & 9th streets upon which they would build their new church designed by the LaCrosse partnership of Parkinson & Dockendorff. Ground-breaking was held on 27 September 1925 and the basement was completed at a cost of $15,000. The stone is identified as having been quarried from the Hamilton Natural Cut Stone & Flagging Company quarry. The first services were held in their basement church on Christmas Eve 1925; however, dedication did not occur until January of 1926. Five years later, the name of the parish was changed to Church of Our Saviour, Evangelical Lutheran. After pledging $24,300 to resume completion of the church, the cornerstone was laid on 27 June 1937 and dedication services were held on 21 November 1937. The total cost of the church is recorded as $54,921.62. By the 1950s, the parish was outgrowing its basement-level Sunday School rooms and in December 1961, the educational wing was completed by contractor Charles D. Smith & Son. Another addition, as well as the installation of an elevator, was made to the rear of the church in 1982 at a cost of $106,000. In 2002, the sanctuary was renovated which included the installation of a new ceramic tile floor; the refinishing of the pews, which were then re-set at an angle; and a new altar and lectern were installed. The congregation continues to utilize the facility to date. The subject church appears to be a very good example of the Neo-Gothic Revival style of architecture. However, compared to other Neo-Gothic style churches in the city, this example not only has an addition to the south, it also includes an addition to the rear, which was done rather recently (1982). |
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| Bibliographic References: | Connie Weiss, Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us (Fond du Lac, WI: EP Direct Printing, 2003), 3-9, 20-23, 27, 30, 41, 44, 208-209, 219-220, 227. Building permit for addition, 9 May 1961. See 2010-2011 Intensive Survey report for additional citations to material below. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |