East Market Street Church of Christ
Also known as: East Market Street Christian Church
Why it's listed
East Market Street Church of Christ, at 864 East Market Street in Akron, is a two-story brick church built between 1911 and 1912 in the Neo-Classical Revival style. Its front has a raised central pavilion with a full pediment, brick Doric pilasters, two fluted Ionic columns, terra cotta trim and a blind balustrade. Stained glass windows light the entrance and the side walls. Inside, the building follows the Akron Plan: a semicircular sanctuary with balconies on three sides and classrooms that can be opened to the worship space or closed off. A coffered ceiling holds a three-section stained glass skylight. The church is considered important as one of two essentially unaltered Akron Plan churches left in the city where the plan began, and as the oldest one designed specifically as a sanctuary. It is also the earliest and best-preserved surviving Neo-Classical Revival church by the architects Harpster and Bliss, and it is still in use as a church.
Significance in brief: It is one of only two essentially unaltered Akron Plan churches left in the city where the plan was developed. It is the earliest such church still in use as a church and Sunday school, and the oldest Akron Plan church designed specifically as a sanctuary. It is also the earliest and most intact surviving Neo-Classical Revival church by Harpster and Bliss, Akron's most prolific architects of the period.
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 88003440, listed February 7, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 864 E. Market St., Akron |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | February 7, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88003440 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 |
| Architect / builder | Harpster, Milton E. and Bliss, John F. |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a church and Sunday school; the form says it keeps a high degree of integrity inside and out, though the original seating has been replaced by theater seats. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.07274, -81.49191 (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 88003440.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5328938
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.