{"nrhp_refnum":"71000545","name":"First Universalist Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"SE corner of S. Clinton Ave. and Court St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Rochester","county":"Monroe County","state":"NY","lat":43.153928619000055,"lon":-77.60436040899998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1971-05-27","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A brick church at the southeast corner of South Clinton Avenue and Court Street in Rochester, Monroe County, New York, built 1907-8 to designs by architect Claude F. Bragdon, with a rear Sunday-school wing.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as one of the outstanding works of architect Claude F. Bragdon (1866-1946). It describes the design as unified in concept, harmonious in proportion and color, and full of interesting details. The major portion of the structure remains essentially unaltered.","narrative":"Built in 1907-8 at the corner of South Clinton Avenue and Court Street in Rochester, this church is regarded as one of the finest works of architect Claude F. Bragdon. The congregation bought the land in January 1907 and dedicated the building in October 1908. Its plan is cruciform: a central tower-like mass rises above four gabled arms and is topped by a low octagonal lantern and a copper-domed cupola. A gabled Sunday-school wing extends from the rear. Walls are brick in shades from orange-red to purple, trimmed with stone and ceramic tile, and laid in varied patterns. Colored terra-cotta panels with crosses and symbols decorate the gables and tower, and the roof is slate. Inside, the auditorium has oak trim, galleries, a choir loft and painted figures representing Faith, Truth, Hope and Love. The main portion remains essentially unaltered and in excellent condition, and the design is noted for its unity, proportion and color.","period_of_significance":"20th Century (1907-8)","architect_builder":"Claude F. Bragdon (architect)","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition rated excellent; major portion unaltered, though the interior of the Sunday-school wing has been altered. Used as a religious building and occupied.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:39.465245-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/71000545.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/71000545/f186124e0d-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/71000545/f186124e0d-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Matthew D. Wilson (LtPowers)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rochester_First_Universalist_Church.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Matthew D. Wilson (LtPowers)</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rochester_First_Universalist_Church.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75318824","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Universalist_Church_(Rochester,_New_York)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5454035"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/monroe-county/first-universalist-church-71000545/"}