Archwood Congregational Church
Also known as: Archwood United Church of Christ
Why it's listed
Archwood United Church of Christ, originally Archwood Congregational Church, is a red brick, L-shaped church at 2800 Archwood Avenue in Cleveland's Brooklyn Centre neighborhood. Built in 1928-29 to designs by Daniel S. Farnum, a church member who had earlier worked with the Cleveland firm of Lehman and Schmitt, it is finished in the Georgian Revival style. A four-column portico with a pediment fronts the sanctuary, and a tall copper-clad steeple rises above it, the highest built feature in the neighborhood. Large modified Palladian windows light a sanctuary decorated with delicate cast plaster ornament. Farnum wrapped Georgian Revival fronts around a 1908 Sunday School wing and kept a carved sandstone figure, baptismal font and organ from the earlier Victorian Gothic church. The congregation dates to 1819 and is described as the oldest Congregational church in Cuyahoga County. The building was listed for its architectural merit and remains little altered.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion C in architecture as an impressive example of Georgian Revival institutional architecture in Cleveland. Its tall spire is the highest built feature in the neighborhood, and it is one of the major Georgian Revival buildings on the near west side. It also incorporates a 1908 Sunday School annex and carved elements from its Victorian Gothic predecessor.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 94000416, listed May 13, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2800 Archwood Ave., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | May 13, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000416 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-29 |
| Architect / builder | Farnum, Daniel |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival (described in the text as Georgian Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in religious use and described as surviving with very few alterations and no additions since construction. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Brooklyn Centre Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.45312, -81.70287 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 94000416.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4787375
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.