Category:Olivet Church (Chicago)

English: The Baptist Olivet Church at 3101 S. King Drive in Bronzeville, Chicago, USA. The church building was erected from 1875 to 1876 by the architects Wilcox & Miller for the First Baptist Church, Chicago. The exterior built of Joliet (Lemont) limestone with ashlar trim in a rustic Gothic revival style. Its foliated capitals are inspired by French Gothic, the windows show tracery. The square steepled belfry and gaping arches are typical of the 1870s. The large centralised interior follows the Akron plan. A loft gallery surrounds three sides of the interior room. The pews, pulpit and capitals are original. A baptismal font stands behind the pulpit. The Olivet Baptist congregation dates back to the Zoar Baptist congregation, established in 1853. In 1860 it merged with the Mt. Zion Baptist congregation choosing the new name Olivet Baptist congregation, first with a meeting room in the Loop and then at 27th and Dearborn streets. The Olivet Baptist congregation bought the present building in 1917 and moved in 1918.