Downey Avenue Christian Church Founded 150 Years Ago

      On September 19, 1875, 40 people gathered for the very first formal religious service conducted in the new town of Irvington. With just a smattering of houses scattered here and there, the community welcomed what would be known as Butler University in 1875. Ovid Butler, the founder of the college, associated the university with the Disciples of Christ, a denomination founded in the United States in the early nineteenth century. The new administration building on campus had a chapel and it was in that room that the Disciples worshipped and prayed for 18 years. Most of the members came from the college, but services were open to all. Butler students were required to attend during those early years.

     The weather on that Sunday in 1875 turned cooler and into the 40s so Professor John O. Hopkins recommended that the congregants move into his classroom where it was warmer. He also preached the first sermon. Later that year, the church welcomed 87 charter members. Nearby, many local residents gathered at Pleasant Run Creek for baptisms. An Indianapolis News article in 1879 reported that the church baptized 30 new members in the icy stream. As both the town and the college grew, the Disciples needed a larger space. That dream became a reality in 1893 with the dedication of a new brick church located at 111 South Downey Avenue. 

The chapel in the Administration Building (Butler Hall) served as the first space for members of the Disciples of Christ in Irvington to worship. (photo courtesy of the Irvington Historical Society)

The Brick Church (1893-1952)

     On September 5, 1892, church members broke ground at 111 South Downey Avenue for their first sanctuary away from the Butler campus. Designed by William F. Sharpe of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and erected by J.H. Jameson, the brick structure had several gables and a bell tower. At the dedication ceremony on April 9, 1893, congregants sat on carved oak pews and heard a sermon by the Reverend Carey E. Morgan, a Butler University graduate. Many of his former teachers sat in the pews before him.   

     Participation in the church swelled with the new facility. In 1914, the board added an education building just south of the church. The arrival of the Christian Board of Missions nearby also increased membership as many employees attended services at Downey Avenue Christian Church. Sunday schools, Boy Scout troops, and Camp Fire Girls increased the participation of younger Irvington residents in the church. 

     With the church population rising and repairs needed on the 59-year-old structure, the board of directors made the surprising decision to tear down the brick structure for a modern stone edifice.  There is no evidence that church members disapproved of this decision although it was likely that a few might have mourned the loss of the pretty church. 

       

Sketch in the Indianapolis News, February 24, 1892, p. 6

View of Downey Avenue Christian Church from South Downey Avenue looking north towards Julian and Downey Avenues in 1952 (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1952 from Julian Avenue; You will note the Education Building was  just south of the structure. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Members of the Downey Avenue Christian Church at 111 South Downey Avenue could enter through doors on Julian or Downey Avenues. This photo was likely taken in 1952. Frederick William (Bill) Wiegmann served as the minister. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Easter services in 1952 served as the final time that Downey Avenue Christian Church members attended worship in the brick church. The structure was razed shortly after this service. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Members of a Sunday School program posed for this photograph in 1934 at the Downey Avenue Christian Church at 111 South Downey Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The Stone Church (1953--?)

     After the board decided to build a new church building, they hired Edward J. Clark to design the new structure. The architect had designed numerous churches in Indiana including the nearby Linwood Avenue Christian Church at 4424 East Michigan Street. The new church, a "modified" Gothic, was to be clad in limestone from southern Indiana. With a seating capacity for 475 people in the main hall, Clark also added room for 375 additional people in "Fellowship Hall." He included a youth chapel, rumpus rooms, and parlors. The cost came in at $250,000. 

     On a snowy Sunday morning on December 14, 1952, hundreds of church members gathered on the site for the cornerstone laying. Paul F. Brown, the board president, presided while Frederick W. Wiegmann and other dignitaries offered prayers and words. Ida Lamberson Russell, who had the distinction of being present at the 1893 dedication, "helped" to put the stone in place. Also assisting was Hilton U. Brown, the venerable publisher of the Indianapolis News. Both of them had witnessed Irvington grow from a small village into a thriving neighborhood. Several members placed items into the cornerstone box. John D.  Bruckman added a bible. Other items included an invitation to the 1893 dedication, a ceremonial shovel used to break ground, and various church programs. 

     The sanctuary opened in 1953 and for 72 years, the structure has been part of the neighborhood. In 2005, the congregation had a shock when an arsonist attempted to damage the building. Quick work by the fire department saved the structure allowing the congregation to restore the church. The Downey Avenue Christian Church is the oldest denomination within the boundaries of Irvington followed by the Irvington Methodist Church and First Baptist Church. On December 7, 2025, the congregation will be hosting a special service celebrating 150 years in operation with a reception afterwards. 

Frederick William Wiegmann, Francis W. Payne, and Paul F. Brown placed the ceremonial box into the cornerstone on December 14, 1952. We do not know the name of the boy in the photo so if you recognize him, let us know! Behind the crowd, you can see the Creighton Apartments located on the northwest corner of Julian and Downey Avenues. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

On December 14, 1952, Downey Avenue Christian Church members gathered to lay the cornerstone of their new church. Beyond the group you can see the former Scot Butler home at 124 South Downey Avenue. In 1952, the house served as the American Legion Post No. 38. To the north of that house you can see the side of 5339 Julian Avenue. That home along with the Butler residence and another house at 5319 Julian Ave were torn down to make way for the new mid-century Board of Church Extension structure. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

On December 14, 1952, Downey Avenue Christian Church members filed past their new building under construction. Behind the beams, you can see the former educational building that had served the church since 1914. It was later razed for a new fellowship hall. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Workers placed beams into position for the new Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1952. Behind the crew you can see the Creighton Apartments and homes along both Julian and Downey Avenues. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Workers for E. B. Ball finished the new Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1953. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Associate Minister Enos Nelson preached to a packed congregation at the Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1953. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Teens gathered for a Friday night dance in Fellowship Hall adjacent to the church c1955 (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The board added a new education wing to the church in 1962. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The congregation added beautiful stained glass windows to the sanctuary in 1975 in honor of the centennial of the church. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse) 

     I wish to thank Don Rouse for his generosity in loaning me photos for this post, and for providing key historical information.

Sources: George Earle Owen,  A Century of Witness: A History of the Downey Avenue Christian Church, 1875-1975, Indianapolis, 1975; Early Years--"City News," March 31, 1879, 4; Brick Church--"A New Church in Irvington," Indianapolis News, September 5, 1892, p. 2; "Irvington's New Church," Indianapolis News, December 24, 1892, 6; "New House of Worship," Indianapolis Journal, April 10, 1893, 3; "Irvington Church Dedicated," Indianapolis News, April 10, 1893, p. 6; Stone Church--"Downey Avenue to Break Ground," Indianapolis News, May 3, 1952, 4; "Downey Avenue to Lay Stone," Indianapolis News, December 13, 1952, 3; "New Irvington Church Ceremony to be Tomorrow," Indianapolis Star, December 13, 1952, 12; "Downey Avenue Congregation to Dedicate New Edifice," Indianapolis Star, October 31, 1953, 10; Architect--"Edward J. Clark Dies: Designed Many Churches," Indianapolis Star, January 29, 1965, 9. 

The Marriage of Gene and Jean: A Wedding Celebration on Downey Avenue--1942

1942 had been a difficult year for the Allied powers during World War II. Many young men and some young women were heading off to various fronts. Worry gripped Irvington families as they bid good bye to their loved ones. The Germans and Japanese had gained significant ground. Under these frightful times, Eugene Fife, Jr. and Jean Booth decided to marry. The handsome couple had met at Butler University. Jean had been named Queen of the May her senior year. Eugene or Gene had deep ties to the campus because his mother Evelyn Henderson had been a professor of theater at the college. Gene had already graduated from an officer's school for the US Navy on the Notre Dame campus so the couple decided to tie the knot on September 30, 1942, before he shipped out to sea.

Jean dwelled at 280 South Downey Avenue. She was the fourth child of Dr. John and Corinne Booth. Dr. Booth was an ordained minister for the Disciples of Christ although he worked for the Board of Church Extension as the Executive Secretary. He read the vows to the couple on the day of their wedding in the Downey Avenue Christian Church. The ceremony took place at 4:00PM. It had been a gloriously sunny day. Marjorie Booth Watkins, a sister to Jean, served as her maid of honor while Roscoe Batts served as Gene's best man.  The couple hosted a small reception in the foyer of the church, a building that no longer stands in Irvington as church leaders replaced it with the current edifice in 1952.

After the ceremony, the families walked or drove down to 280 South Downey Avenue where the Booths hosted a dinner for the young couple. Mr. Fife had graduated from the Indiana University Law School in 1939 so he was able to resume his law career once the war was over. At some point in the day, the Booths and the Fifes gathered for a few photographs. In one image, the couple posed next to their parents in the front yard at 280. Behind them, you can see the brand new home at 261 South Downey Avenue. It would not be long before Gene was shipped out to sea for the war effort. Jean followed him to whichever port he was based in. Thankfully, he came home from the war and the couple settled in Indianapolis although not in Irvington. Gene later became an elected judge in Marion County. The couple had two children.

Jean Booth posed for the photograph c1940, a few years before her wedding in the front yard at 280 Downey Avenue. No houses stood across the street at that point as the Thompson/Hibben mansion had been torn down and none of the smaller homes in the 200 block had been built yet. 

Every May, Butler students crowned a Queen of the May.  Jean Booth of 280 South Downey Avenue, received this honor in 1938.

The Fifes and Booths gathered for a family photo on the day of Eugene Fife, Jr. and Jean Booth's wedding on September 30, 1942.  Behind them, you can see the newly built Cobb family home at 261 S. Downey Avenue. Pictured (left to right): Eugene Fife, Sr., Evelyn Henderson Fife, Eugene Fife, Jr, Jean Booth Fife, Corinne Schultz Booth, Dr. John H. Booth

Jean Booth Fife stood next to her sister and maid of honor, Marjorie Booth Watkins on September 30, 1942. Behind the young women you can see 261 South Downey Avenue.

The happy couple, Eugene Fife, Jr. and his new bride, Jean Booth Fife, posed in the front yard at 280 South Downey Avenue on September 30, 1942. 

Eugene Fife, Jr. and his wife, Jean Booth Fife posed in the "woods" next to the Booth home at 280 South Downey Avenue in the spring of 1943. Mr. Fife served in the Navy during World War II.  Mrs. Fife followed him from port to port throughout the war.

The historic images and stories for this post are courtesy of Mac Fife, the son of Eugene and Jean Booth Fife.

Aerial Photo Reveals Structures in Western Irvington-c1923

This stunning aerial photo, taken in the skies over Irvington around 1923, shows vast parts of the neighborhood.  The pilot from Weaver's Air Service must have used Downey Avenue Christian Church as his focus.  You will see that building towards the bottom of the photo.  This church predates the current structure on the site.  The Sunday School building south of the church is no longer standing.  Across the street, you can see the Scot Butler mansion at 124 Downey Avenue.  It was replaced in 1958 by a circular mid-century office building for the Disciples of Christ.  Most of the remaining structures in the photo still stand in 2013.  Our Lady of Lourdes Church, located in the center and left of the photo, is an earlier church structure.  Streets visible in this photo include:  Hibben Avenue, Julian Avenue, Downey Avenue, East Washington Street, North and South Irvington Avenue, Whittier Place, North Hawthorne Lane, Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive, Lowell Avenue, and Hill Street.   Many of the homes along Pleasant Run Parkway had not yet been built.

Aerial shot of western Irvington c1924 (click to make it larger)

Irvington Cub Scouts--1943

Scouting for both boys and girls remained very popular in Irvington throughout the twentieth century.  Most local groups were supported by churches.  The Girl Scouts in Indianapolis actually first started in the neighborhood at the Irvington Presbyterian Church.  Local resident, Francis Belzer (320 South Audubon Road), was a major leader of the Boy Scouts.  Mr. Belzer, a teacher at Manual High School, was later honored when the Scouts named a camp for him in Lawrence Township.

In this photo, taken in 1943, members of a local Cub Scout troop (Pack 31) gathered for their formal portrait.  If you recognize anyone in this photo, then drop me a note at sleeth28@rock.com or comment below.  This historic photo is courtesy of a grown-up Cub Scout and former member of this troop, David Bailey.

Newly identified Scouts courtesy of Ann Stewart:

Front Row (left to right):  Second boy from left--Frank Robertson (before his illness)

Middle Row (left to right):  Gary Roberts, Don Ross, ?, Jim Hueston, Scout Leader, Bob Routh, Dan Meininger, Joe Messing, Jack Young,?

Top Row (left to right):  Martin Bruce (Boy Scout), Bob Craig, and  ???? Jim Boles, David Bailey, ?

Downey Avenue Christian Church Youth Group--1930

Many of the local churches had active Sunday schools and youth groups.  Downey Avenue Christian Church's location one block north of the international headquarters for the the Disciples of Christ, made it a frequent subject in church newsletters sent all over the world.

In this photo, taken in 1930, local youth complete their exhibits for "Parent's Day." Pictured in this photo:   unknown girl, Christine Bruckman, Russell Barnett, Anna Vert, unknown boy, Betty Flay

How do some photos survive through time and others are lost forever?  In the case of this image, the provenance is quite interesting.  After the photo was taken, it was used in a church promotional.  Many years later, Florence Carmichael (an aunt to musician Hoagy Carmichael), decided to go through her files since she had made the decision to retire from the Disciples of Christ Education Division.  She came upon the photo and saw Christine Bruckman in the picture.  Miss Bruckman had become Mrs. Rouse and worked on the third floor of the Missions building so Mrs. Carmichael sent the photo downstairs. Mrs. Rouse kept the photo and later shared it with her son, Don Rouse, who lent it to me for this blog.  Mrs. Carmichael could have have easily thrown the photo away or it could have become lost over the years.  You will note that the children are standing in a building that was torn down to make way for the current church in the early 1950s.  One other any interesting note is that Russell Barnett was the father of Steve Barnett, who has been the Director of the Irvington Historical Society for many years.

This image is courtesy of Don Rouse.

The Parsonage

5309 Julian Avenue began life as a private residence in the late 1910s.  From 1950 to 1973, it served as the home for ministers and their families for the Downey Avenue Christian Church.  This large American Four Square has many nice features including beautiful Arts and Crafts era stained-glass windows on either side of the fireplace.  The home looks much the same today although it has since been sheathed in white aluminum siding.  This photo was likely taken around 1950.

Downey Avenue Christian Church--1936, 1970, 2011

Several churches formed early in Irvington. The Downey Avenue Christian Church was associated with Butler University as both institutions were of the Disciples of Christ denomination. Numerous prominent members of the neighborhood belonged to this church including newspaper publisher Hilton U. Brown.

The 1936 photo (top) shows the 1893 structure. It was torn down in 1952 to make way for the current building. Next to the church you will see the educational facility (1914) which you will note was still standing in the 1970 aerial photo, although it has since been demolished.

The house to the south of the of the school at 129 Downey Avenue belonged to Walter H. and Marjorie Montgomery in 1936. Mr. Montgomery was president of Crown Laundry and Dry Cleaning. The house has been changed since 1936 including the roofline and porch. (third photo)

The two houses east of the church at 5433 and 5437 belonged to Frank and Grace Neucomer and Mary A. Johnson in 1936. I have included what these homes look like in 2011.

One Year and Still Going Strong! Aerial Photo of Irvington in 1970

Vintage Irvington reached a milestone this week. One year ago I jumped into the idea of creating a blog dedicated to documenting Irvington's historic and near recent past. I was not sure if I would have enough material, but thanks to all of you the photos, letters, journals, and pieces of ephemeral keep coming. Send me scanned photos of your family's home! I would love to profile and celebrate your Irvington heritage. You may reach me at sleeth28@rock.com.

In honor of the one year anniversary, I hope you enjoy this aerial photo taken of Irvington in 1970. The pilot hovered just above the tower of Our Lady of Lourdes Church so that the photographer could take a south and slightly southeastern shot of the neighborhood. Some of the structures seen in the photo are no longer standing and folks in that part of Irvington will also notice trees that have come and gone since 1970. This photo first appeared in Gertrude Hecker Winder's book, A Glimpse of Irvington Then and Now, 1870-1970.