{"nrhp_refnum":"84003806","name":"Grace Reformed Church","other_names":["Grace United Church of Christ-Akron,Ohio"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"172 W. Bowery St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Akron","county":"Summit County","state":"OH","lat":41.08016057200007,"lon":-81.52434987699996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1984-07-19","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A brick Romanesque Revival church at 172 West Bowery Street in central Akron, Summit County, Ohio, erected between October 1926 and November 1927 by Associated Architects of Akron.","why_significant":"The nomination argues significance under Criterion A for its link to the Reformed Church in the United States, which held its 24th and last triennial General Synod there in June 1932. It also cites Criterion C as a fine example of early twentieth century church architecture in Akron, with a basilican plan and side campanile reflecting eclectic trends of the period.","narrative":"Grace Reformed Church, now Grace United Church of Christ, is a tan brick church in central Akron, built between October 1926 and November 1927. Designed by Associated Architects, a group including Henry & Murphy and Melville Peck, it follows a basilican plan with a nave, aisles, transept, narthex and clerestory, and a functional campanile at one corner. Round arches, a brick corbel table and a deep Italian Romanesque style entrance give it a Romanesque Revival character. Inside are stained glass windows, quartersawn oak pews, a barrel vaulted plaster ceiling and a 1927 Schanz pipe organ with 2,315 pipes. The church is notable for its architecture and for a major denominational event. In June 1932 it hosted the 24th and final General Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States, attended by 214 delegates. A merger with the Evangelical Synod of North America was discussed in its sanctuary, and the union followed two years later.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"Associated Architects, Akron, O. (Henry & Murphy and Melville Peck)","architectural_style":"Romanesque Revival, basilican plan","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Listed as occupied, in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site; the basement was significantly renovated in 1964 and the carillon was added in 1957.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:14.908963-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/84003806.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84003806/7e98cb6bbd-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84003806/7e98cb6bbd-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Ironman44320","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grace_Reformed_Church_(United_Church_of_Christ)_172_Bowery.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Ironman44320</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:Grace_Reformed_Church_(United_Church_of_Christ)_172_Bowery.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71991591","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Reformed_Church_(Akron,_Ohio)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5591353"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/summit-county/grace-reformed-church-84003806/"}