Uptown Historic Photo

Today, you know it as the Uptown Baptist Church, located at 1011 Wilson, at Sheridan. A hundred years ago, it was known as the North Shore Congregational Church, established in 1900. This image is from my personal postcard collection.

 

In her book about the North Shore’s history, Matilda Carse writes, “The North Shore Congregational Church was the first church organized for Christian worship and work in the territory, more than a mile square, extending from Graceland avenue to Argyle avenue, and from Lake Shore to Clark street. An excellent class of people, of moderate means, were making their homes here, and readily responded to the first call for a church." (Thanks to elgatonegrobar.com for the quote.)

Carse further writes, "After a careful search for the ideal location for [a] new church (every possible site from Montrose boulevard to Lawrence avenue having been investigated), it was unanimously voted that the corner of Sheridan road and Wilson avenue was the strategic point. Accordingly, by vote of the church, the Trustees were authorized to purchase this site for the sum of $14,500.”

A radio show was later broadcast from NSC, We Preach Christ Crucified. An advertisement for the show read, "This building is located on a busy corner, 4600 North, in Chicago. More than 250,000 people pass the corner of Sheridan Rd. and Wilson Ave. every 24 hours."