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Church specialist Robert Hall Orr (1873-1964) designed the Pilgrim Congregational Church #2 in 1911, and supervised its construction that lasted from cornerstone dedication in 05/1911 to first its service on 05/26/1912, the 25th anniversary of the congregation's founding. An assembly hall and a gymnasium, a very unusual amenity at the time for a church, (according to the congregation's web site, the first West of the Mississippi), were completed first. Services occurred in the Pilgrim Hall before completion of the sanctuary. (See "Pilgrim Church History,"Accessed 07/10/2014.) Clearly this was an active and dynamic congregation at the time, as they raised funds for all but 17.7% of the $107,573 construction costs in one year. In 1952, the congregation added the $125,000 Eells Hall, a two-story educational facility and, in 1960, a youth chapel and nursery known as Mayflower Hall.

Architect Orr created a cruciform plan for this Gothic Revival Church. In general, Pilgrim Congregational recalled various country parish churches in England, this being done in brick with stone trim. Its square- topped tower had a particularly English character. On the sanctuary's east end, it was connected to the assembly hall/gymnasium building to the north; space to between the assembly hall and church composed a courtyard with a gate on the west end. To the north of the assembly space was Eells Hall. Tel: 909.622.1373 (2014)

Originating in the tower, a fire in 09/1925 caused $40,000 in damage. Repairs were made quickly, and the facility reopened in 1926. New chimes were added during the rebuilding.

PCAD id: 10268