First Unitarian Church is located at 57th St. and Woodlawn Ave., in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood.  Two blocks to the south of our building is the Midway, site of the Columbian Exposition of 1893. One block to the west are the old quadrangles of the University of Chicago, constructed beginning in 1893. Our congregation moved to our present location in 1897. Our stately English Gothic sanctuary, which echoes the architecture of the old quadrangles, was erected in 1929, at the same time as the construction of the towering Rockefeller Chapel, one block to the south. Across from Rockefeller Chapel is Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Robie House. Across the street from our church is the Meadville Lombard Theological School, training ministers for the Unitarian Universalist denomination.

Today Hyde Park is a thriving middle class, racially integrated community. The University of Chicago has grown into one of the great universities of the world, and its campus and medical center continue to expand. The University has taken a great interest in its neighborhood and its improvement and has assisted its staff in settling here. Commuting to downtown Chicago is an easy 15-minute ride on either Metra trains or express buses. One can also bicycle downtown on the lakefront bicycle path. Two large parks border the neighborhood - Jackson Park on the south, location of the “White City” in 1893, and Washington Park on the west, proposed site of the 2016 Olympic Stadium. On the lakefront a mile east of our church is the Museum of Science and Industry, one of Chicago’s top tourist attractions.Hyde Park has many other interesting museums, galleries, book stores, and restaurants. Many University students live off campus throughout the neighborhood. Many of the older three-story apartment buildings in the neighborhood were converted to condominiums years ago, and have been maintained in top condition. Also, there are many newer and older townhouses, and a few tall high-rise apartment buildings.  The stretch of Woodlawn Avenue where our church is located has spacious old mansions, some of which have been converted to University use.

Although it can be difficult to park near our church on weekdays, when the University is in full swing, it is not difficult to park on the street on Sundays.

Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 September 2008 )