“Pilgrim Baptist Church, the Chicago landmark best known as the birthplace of Gospel music, received a grant worth more than $200,000 Thursday from the Citywide Adopt-A-Landmark Fund in what is likely the first of many steps to rebuild the church.
“The grant will go towards stabilizing the exterior walls of the church at 3301 S. Indiana Ave. It will be the first project of many required to restore the church, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Place in 1973 and named a Chicago landmark in 1981.
“The Citywide Adopt-A-Landmark Fund gives money generated by Downtown construction projects to buildings designated as Chicago Landmarks. The city acquires the money by taking 10 percent of the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus, a fee developers pay to be allowed to build increased density Downtown.
“Designed by renowned architects Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan, the historic building was largely destroyed in a 2006 fire. Then in August, the storm that brought tornadoes to some parts of the are leveled a wall at the church, but the limestone façade that faces Indiana Avenue survived and is being propped up by scaffolding.
“Ward Miller, Executive Director of Preservation Chicago, spoke in support of the grant at the meeting, calling the church an ‘extraordinary landmark. The structure is so very important, but historically and architecturally, to not only the Bronzeville community but to Chicago and the world,’ Miller said.
“Built in 1891, the building was originally a synagogue. In the 1930s, it was converted to a church that hosted Thomas A. Dorsey, known as the father of modern gospel music.
“The goal now is to rebuild the church and to also build a Gospel music museum on the site. And despite the $216,960 granted to the church on Thursday, the church will need a lot of time and money to reach its goal, a fact acknowledged by commission member Maurice Cox during the meeting.
“‘This is simply a small down payment to a much more audacious vision that I think we’ll all see in the near future,’ Cox said. ‘This is a critical step to a much larger vision that they have.'” (Chiarito, Block Club Chicago, 1/8/21)
