Finding aid for the Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches Photographs


Repository: Western Reserve Historical Society
Creator: Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches
Title: Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches Photographs
Dates: 1890-1960
Extent: 0.40 linear feet (1 container)
Abstract: The Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches was organized in 1853, as the Cleveland Congregational Conference, to oversee the organization of new churches and the mergers of existing churches in Cleveland, Ohio, and to provide financial assistance. In 1912 it merged with the City Missionary Society to form the Congregational Union of Cleveland. In 1963 the Union was merged into the Western Reserve Association of the United Church of Christ. The collection consists of views of the member churches, officers, and activities of the Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches, of Cleveland and northeastern Ohio.
PG Number PG 249
Location: closed stacks
Language: The records are in English

History of the Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches

The Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches was originally known as the Cleveland Congregational Conference. It was organized in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1853 and became a member of the Ohio Conference of Congregational Churches the next year. The Conference's aim was the promotion, expansion, and control of the denominational rights of the Congregational churches located in Cleveland. By overseeing the organization of new churches and the mergers of existing churches, and by providing financial assistance, the Conference hoped to make each Congregational church an influential force in its community.

With the growth of Cleveland's population due to European immigration following the American Civil War, the work of the Cleveland Congregational Conference became more urgent. In 1892, the Conference formed the City Missionary Society, which was to be a separate entity, and hired a superintendent to organize churches in immigrant neighborhoods. In 1911, however, the Ohio Conference forced a reorganization of the Cleveland Congregational Conference and the City Missionary Society. The state Conference transferred the jurisdiction over all dependent Cleveland Congregational churches and all funds for their support to the City Missionary Society. Left without funding, the Cleveland Conference negotiated with the City Missionary Society, and in 1922 they became one organization, the Congregational Union of Cleveland.

In 1957, the Congregational Christian Church and the Evangelical and Reformed Church merged to form the United Church of Christ. The merger was on a national level, and individual churches, associations, and conferences were not part of the merger unless they voted to join the United Church of Christ. In 1963 a merger on the local level occurred when the Congregational Union of Cleveland, along with other Congregational associations, which included the Medina, Grand River, and Plymouth Rock Associations, merged with the Northeast Ohio Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the Western Reserve Association of the United Church of Christ. The Congregational Union of Cleveland ceased to exist as a separate entity and its work, as well as its records, were turned over to the Western Reserve Association of the United Church of Christ.


Scope and Content

The Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches Photographs, ca. 1890-1960, consist of views of the member churches, officers, and activities of the Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches, of Cleveland and northeastern Ohio. The collection includes 163 black and white photographs that measure 8 x 10 inches and smaller. It also includes 37 black and white negatives.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of religion and congregational churches in Cleveland, Ohio, in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century.


Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged in four series. Each series is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series I: Activities
Series II: Buildings
Series III: Individual Portraits
Series IV: Group Portraits

Restrictions on Access

None.

Related Material

The researcher should also consult MS 3850 Medina Association of Congregational Christian Churches and Ministers; MS 3854 Highland United Church of Christ Records; MS 3855 First Congregational Church Records; MS 3856 Collinwood United Church of Christ Records; and MS 3857 Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches Records.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Churches -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches -- Photograph collections.
Congregational churches -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 249 Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

These photographs were removed from MS MS 3850 Medina Association of Congregational Christian Churches and Ministers; MS 3854 Highland United Church of Christ Records; MS 3855 First Congregational Church Records; MS 3856 Collinwood United Church of Christ Records; and MS 3857 Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches Records. Gift of the Western Reserve Association of the United Church of Christ in 1979.

Detailed Description of The Collection

Series I: Activities ca. 1930-1950

Box Folder
1 1 Art class, Mt. Zion Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 2 Bread line, Mt. Zion Congregational Church ca. 1932
1 3 Cooking class, Mt. Zion Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 4 Dinners ca. 1957
1 5 Sewing class, Mt. Zion Congregational Church ca. 1930

Series II: Buildings ca. 1910-1960

Box Folder
1 6 Archwood Congregational Church ca. 1940
1 7 Bethlehem Congregational Church 1913
1 8 Brooklyn Heights Congregational Church ca. 1950
1 9 Chagrin Falls Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 10 Clague Road Congregational Church 1929
1 11 Collinwood Congregational Church ca. 1940
1 12 Cyril Congregational Church ca. 1940
1 13 Dennison Congregational Church ca 1950
1 14 Emmanuel Congregational Church 1913
1 15 Euclid Avenue Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 16 Euclid Village Congregational Church ca. 1940
1 17 Faith United Church of Christ site ca. 1960
1 18 Fellowship House for Congregational Churches ca. 1960
1 19 First Congregational Church, Franklin Boulevard at West 45th Street ca. 1910
1 20 Glenville Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 21 Grace Congregational Church ca. 1920
1 22 Highland Congregational Church, West 117th Street at Detroit ca. 1920
1 23 Hope Congregational Church ca. 1940
1 24 Jones Road Congregational Church ca. 1940
1 25 King and Smith Realty Company ca. 1960
1 26 Lakewood Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 27 Mizpah Congregational Church ca. 1910-1925
1 28 Mt. Zion Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 29 Northmoor Estates office ca. 1960
1 30 Nottingtham Congregational Church ca. 1940-1960
1 31 Olmstead Falls Community Church ca. 1920
1 32 Parkwood Church ca. 1925
1 33 Pilgrim Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 34 Plymouth Congregational Church ca. 1910-1940
1 35 St. Stanislaus Polish Roman Catholic Church ca. 1925
1 36 Schauffler dormitory (?) ca. 1930
1 37 Shaker Heights Town Hall ca. 1925
1 38 South Haven Congregational Church ca. 1960
1 39 Strongsville Congregational Christian Church ca. 1930
1 40 West Park Congregational Church 1958
1 41 Young Men's Christian Association/Young Women's Christian Association (YMCA/YWCA) ca. 1960
1 42 Unidentified buildings ca. 1920-1950

Series III: Individual Portraits ca. 1890-1960

Box Folder
1 43 H. D. Bartlett, Collingwood Congregational Church ca. 1890
1 44 Dr. Erston Butterfield ca. 1960
1 45 Hazel Foster ca. 1960
1 46 Rev. F. N. James ca. 1955
1 47 Rev. Miles Krumbine, Plymouth Congregational Church ca. 1950
1 48 Rev. and Mrs. Paske, Highland Congregational Church ca. 1912
1 49 Dr. Patterson, Collinwood Congregational Church ca. 1950
1 50 Rev. Robert Stemme ca. 1955
1 51 Unidentified portraits ca. 1958

Series IV: Group Portraits ca. 1912-1960

Box Folder
1 52 Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches, board members 1958
1 53 Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches, C. E. Committee 1958
1 54 Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches, Churchmen Fellowship officers 1959
1 55 Congregational Union of Cleveland Churches, national moderator 1958
1 56 Bedford South Haven Congregational Church officers 1958
1 57 Bethlehem Congregational Church, Vacation Bible School ca. 1930
1 58 Brooklyn Heights Congregational Church group ca. 1930
1 59 Cleveland Area church Federation 1958
1 60 Collinwoon Congregational Church groups 1944-1954
1 61 Collinwood Congregational Church musicians ca. 1930
1 62 Cyril Congregational Church, Christmas pageant 1929
1 63 Elyria Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Camp 1940
1 64 Emmanuel Church groups 1913-1915
1 65 First Congregational Church, Willoughby, Ohio 1955
1 66 First United Church of Christ 1938
1 67 Hope Congregational Church 1960
1 68 Mizpah Congregational Church groups ca. 1930
1 69 Mt. Zion Congregational Church ca. 1930
1 70 Ohio Vocational Conference, Westlake, Ohio ca. 1955
1 71 Regional Church Planning Office, Northeast Ohio ca. 1960
1 72 South Haven Congregational Church, new building 1958
1 73 United Missions World View ca. 1955
1 74 Unidentified groups ca. 1958