Central Congregational Church

Constructed for the members of Central Congregational Church, the institutional building at 1530 N. Carroll, is an outstanding local example of early 20th-century Gothic Revival architecture. Both the sanctuary and the attached, similarly detailed, Sunday School wing are well-maintained and remarkably unchanged from their original 1920 appearance. The church is nominated under Criterion C in the area of Architecture at the local level. It is associated with the historic context, The Development of East and South Dallas: 18721945.

The history of the Central Congregational Church in Dallas dates to 1877 with the founding of the First Congregational Church at the corner of Main and Austin streets, in downtown Dallas. In 1902, members of the original congregation voted to organize a second church, Central Congregational Church, in response to the dramatic growth in East Dallas after the turn of the century. A new brick church building was constructed the following year at the corner of Commerce and Preston streets, near the southwest boundary of old East Dallas. This building was abandoned in 1917 because the noise from a nearby fire station and streetcar lines interfered with worship. It was eventually razed in 1944. After holding services in several temporary locations, the congregation purchased a lot at the corner of N. Carroll and San Jacinto streets in 1917, in the midst of the growing suburban neighborhoods to the north and east of downtown Dallas. The church was completed in 1920 (Dallas Morning News (DMN), November 25, 1956), and Dr. Thomas H. Harper served as the first minister. During his pastorate (1920-1927), church membership increased. In 1941, the Junius Heights Congregational Church merged with Central and by 1944, Central Congregational Church was the only affiliated representative of the denomination in Dallas (DMN, September 23, 1944).

Again in response to Dallas' changing demographics, Central Congregational Church decided to relocate and subsequently sold its building to an African American congregation in 1956. The church moved to Royal Lane, in a prestigious North Dallas area. Contemporary accounts of the move cited rapidly developing residential areas in North Dallas as the reason for the congregation's move in that direction (Dallas Times Herald, November 25, 1956:A9). The building was subsequently sold to the Salvation Army but it is presently the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church.

Although the Gothic Revival style was a favorite architectural form used on ecclesiastical buildings in East Dallas during the early 20th century, only a handful retain their integrity to such a notable degree as the Central Congregational Church. The building, which is sited on a corner lot and noteworthy because of its use of characteristic features of the Gothic Revival style, such as the buttresses, traceries, and strong vertical emphasis. The large stained-glass window set within a single segmental arch is the most distinctive architectural feature. Only a few, minor and easily reversible alterations detract from the church's historic integrity. The attached Sunday School wing to the rear is also an important architectural element on the property and adds to the property's overall historic character.