{"nrhp_refnum":"73001517","name":"Atwater Congregational Church","other_names":["Congregational Church of Atwater"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"1237 OH 183","address_restricted":false,"city":"Atwater","county":"Portage County","state":"OH","lat":41.02245109000006,"lon":-81.13660275799998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-02-23","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A frame, rectangular Greco-Gothic church at 1237 State Route 183 in Atwater, Portage County, Ohio, completed and dedicated in 1841 on a knoll just west of the village green.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as an excellent example of the period when Gothic revival superseded Greek revival, with Gothic-arched windows and a domed cupola set against a Greek revival portico. It has long been considered one of the finest churches in the Western Reserve and one of the best early places of worship in Ohio. It also reflects the community effort and settlement history of Atwater township.","narrative":"Atwater Congregational Church is a frame, rectangular building on a knoll just west of the village green in Atwater, Ohio. Dedicated on November 7, 1841, it blends Greek revival and Gothic revival features. The east front has a full-height portico with six Ionic columns, the outer ones paired, and Gothic-arched windows and a central door. A three-stage tower rises to a colonnaded octagon with a domed cupola and lantern. Little is known of the designer, though local belief credits Simeon Porter, builder of Tallmadge Church. The congregation formed in 1818 and built a small brick church in 1822 before deciding in 1836 to build a larger one, using proceeds from land leased by Capt. Caleb Atwater. Local men helped with construction, which began in 1838. Changes include patterned glass in 1877, a basement added in 1920, and a restored interior dome in 1951. The church is regarded as one of the finest in the Western Reserve.","period_of_significance":"1838-1841","architect_builder":"Designer unknown; locally believed to be the work of Simeon Porter, builder of Tallmadge Church","architectural_style":"Greco-Gothic (Gothic revival superseding Greek revival)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in good condition and in fine repair; occupied and in religious use, with some alterations over time.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:10.32227-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/73001517.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001517/a090a4e880-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001517/a090a4e880-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 3.0","author":"JonRidinger","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atwater_Congregational_Church.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">JonRidinger</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atwater_Congregational_Church.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71991017","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atwater_Congregational_Church","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4818833"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/portage-county/atwater-congregational-church-73001517/"}