Austin in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Third Unitarian Church

Erected 1937

— Architects: Schweikher & Elting; addition 1956 by William B. Fyfe —

Third Unitarian Church Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 27, 2024

1. Third Unitarian Church Marker

Inscription. The Commission on Chicago Architectural Landmarks, by authority of the City Council of the City of Chicago, has designated this building as an architectural landmark

City of Chicago
Richard J. Daley, Mayor
February 11, 1960

Erected 1960 by Commission on Chicago Architectural Landmarks; City of Chicago.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Illinois, Chicago Landmarks Commission, and the Unitarian Universalism (UUism) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1937.

Location. 41° 53.154′ N, 87° 46.302′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Austin. It is on Mayfield Avenue north of Fulton Street, on the left when traveling south. The marker is to the right of the front entrance of the church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 North Mayfield Avenue, Chicago IL 60644, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

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the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Reverend Jesse Taylor (approx. 0.2 miles away); Austin VFW Post 2955 War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); St. James Apartments (approx. ¼ mile away); Marie Schock House (approx. 0.3 miles away); F.R. Schock Houses (approx. 0.3 miles away); Gold Star Men of the World War (approx. 0.3 miles away); Shrine of Our Lady of Fréchou (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Telephone (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Hitchcock House (was approx. 0.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

More about this marker. This metallic marker is a rare precursor to the dark, square Chicago Landmark markers placed at historic buildings and locations across Chicago. Between 1957 and 1964, the Commission on Chicago Architectural Landmarks designated approximately

Third Unitarian Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 27, 2024

2. Third Unitarian Church

37 buildings in Chicago as "architectural landmarks." (Only 27 of these buildings still stand today.) The designation entitled each of these buildings to a plaque, presumably these rectangular metallic plaques. In addition to the one at Third Unitarian, at least four more of these like this are known to remain on display at three different sites, although there may be a handful more. One is at the Auditorium Building on its Wabash Avenue side near Ida B. Wells Drive, another is at the Inland Steel Building at Monroe and Dearborn in the Loop. Two more identical markers can be found inside the lobby of both towers at 860 and 880 N. Lake Shore Dr. Unlike those other four plaques, this one at Third Unitarian does not include a paragraph describing why the building was selected.

In 1968 the modern landmark commission, today titled the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, was established with the backing of a city ordinance, which enables it greater authority to protect landmarked structures. It also honors a wider range of sites, not just architectural feats but also neighborhoods and historical locations. The commission also issues square

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plaques that can be found across the city at more than 100 locations around the city. Most of the 27 remaining architectural landmarks from 1960 (including the Auditorium Building, the Inland Steel building and 860-880 Lake Shore Drive) have modern landmark plaques, however, one was not spotted at Third Unitarian, which was awarded modern landmark status in 2008.

Regarding Third Unitarian Church. Third Unitarian Church traces its roots to the west side of Chicago in the 1860s, and through the years it gradually moved west in line with Chicago's population growth. After its previous building at Lake and Pine, about four blocks of here, burned down in the 1930s, the congregation built this new structure, designed by Paul Schweikher, in 1936.

Interestingly, while the marker credits Winston Elting with co-designing the original building with Paul Schweikher in 1936, Schweikher himself disputed this in a February 1964 letter to the editor in the Chicago Tribune, in response to a feature article about Chicago's 37 official architectural landmarks. He wrote, "It is incorrect... to credit the building in any way to Winston Elting. This small church was designed by me and built in the middle 1930s well before Winston was associated with me." A report published in 2008 as part of Third Unitarian's updated designation as a Chicago Landmark says that Elting began working with Schweikher after World War II.

Third Unitarian is listed as a "contributing structure" within the Austin Historic District, a roughly 15-square-block area of the neighborhood that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Also see . . .
1. Chicago Landmark Designation Report: Third Unitarian Church.

Excerpt: "The simple but visually distinctive church building is an important early example of modern architecture in Chicago. Built in 1936 by architect Paul Schweikher, and sensitively added to in 1956, the building is the work of an important Chicago architect. This exceptional church building represents the culmination of circumstances including: a congregation receptive to progressive architecture, the 'Great Depression' which imposed a limited budget, the rise of the modern movement in architecture, and a young, talented architect who saw the opportunity within these challenges.

"When it was built, Third Unitarian Church was widely published in national architectural journals and was recognized as an important work of architecture by contemporary critics. In 1964, Third Unitarian was one of 37 buildings listed as significant by the Commission on Chicago Architectural Landmarks, the forerunner to the current Commission on Chicago Landmarks. In 1965 Third Unitarian was described as 'an interesting small church in the modern manner' in the book Chicago’s Famous Buildings."

(Submitted on October 28, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

2. Paul Schweikher biography. From the official site of the Schweikher House, located in suburban Schaumburg, Illinois, a biography of Paul Schweikher (1903-1997) and descriptions of his most famous designs. (Submitted on October 28, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

3. Third Unitarian Church official site. (Submitted on October 28, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 27, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 444 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 27, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.