Establishing an historic landmark for 310 W Monroe St

Home Browse Search

At the September 19, 1994 regular monthly meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County (HPC), the HPC voted unanimously to send a favorable recommendation for the Local Historic Landmark designation of the former Mount Olive A.M.E. Church located at 310 West Monroe Street to the South Bend Common Council. RECOMMENDATION Based on the HPC Local Landmark Criteria [1], it is the Historic Preservation Commission's recommendation that the South Bend Common Council designate the structure located at 310 West Monroe Street in the city of South Bend by ordinance as a Local Historic Landmark. The property meets the criteria in at least four areas. 1) Its character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or culture of the City of South Bend or St. Joseph County, the State of Indiana, or the United States; 2) Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship which represents an architectural characteristic or innovation; 3) Its educational value; 4) Its suitability for preservation; The property fulfills criteria #1 as the location of the first religious institution established in South Bend by a congregation of African - American descent. The extant structure was constructed by that same congregation at this same site at a later date which has since accrued historical merit. The property fulfills criteria #2 as an example of the design, plan, detail, and materials of the early twentieth century church construction. The structure was rated as Significant (11) in the latest summary report of the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory (1993) which described it as being unaltered and in good condition. The property fulfills criteria #3 as a publicly accessible surviving structure from the first African - American church congregation organized in South Bend and associated with numerous persons of stature in the African - American community of South Bend. The property fulfills criteria #4 by its unaltered condition, integrity, and continued use. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION The structure is constructed in a very functional rendition of the Gothic Revival style including a high pitched roof (approximately 12/12 pitch), stained glass windows with pointed arches, water table, a crenelated tower at the northwest front corner and a circular window located in the pediment of the front facade. The construction is of stretcher bond wire cut brick with cut and dressed stone articulating such elements as the water table string course, window sills, the surround of the circular window, the keystone over the main entry door, and the parapet coping over the entry and at the crenelations of the tower.