List of former Christian Science churches, societies, buildings, etc. Following its early meteoric rise, the Christian Science Church suffered a steep decline in membership in the second half of the twentieth century. Though the Church is prohibited by the Manual of The Mother Church from publishing membership figures, the number of branch churches in the United States has fallen steadily since World War II. A 1992 study of the Christian Research Journal found that church membership had fallen from 269,000 in the 1930s to about 150,000.[1] Some believe membership has fallen further since then, however current estimates for church membership vary widely, from under 100,000 to 400,000.
Dr. Stephen Barrett has reported that since 1971, the number of practitioners and teachers listed in the Christian Science Journal has fallen from about 5,000 to about 1,160 and the number of churches has fallen from about 1,800 to about 1,000.[2]
The purpose of this list is to identify and quantify this decline in Christian Science institutions and those related to Christian Science, as well as catalog the buildings and spaces once used by the Christian Science Church. While it is impossible to get accurate membership figures, it is possible to determine the decline in institutions through official church publications and other sources.
Notes:
| Name | Image | Location | County or equivalent | State | Status | Description | Architect | Style | Date | NRHP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Phoenix, Arizona) | 924 N. 1st St. Phoenix |
Maricopa County | Arizona | Relocated | Now Roosevelt Community Church. First Church is now located at 830 North Central Avenue.[3] | Fitzhugh & Byron | Classical Revival | 1925 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Little Rock, Arkansas) | 2000 South Louisiana Street, Little Rock |
Pulaski County | Arkansas | Dissolved | became the Little Rock Community Church | Almand, John Parks | Mixed | 1919 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Long Beach, California). | 440 Elm Ave, Long Beach | Los Angeles County | California | Relocated | Now First Christian Church. First Church of Christ, Scientist, now holds services at 3629 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach | Grey, Elmer | Classical Revival | 1913 | Local | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Los Angeles, California) | 1366 South Alvarado Street, Los Angeles | Los Angeles County | California | Dissolved | Now the Iglesia Adventista Central. For a time in the 1970s it served as the Los Angeles branch of the ill-fated Peoples Temple led by the Rev. Jim Jones.[4] | Grey, Elmer | Mixed | 1912 | CP | |
| Second Church of Christ, Scientist (Long Beach, California) | 655 Cedar Ave., Long Beach |
Los Angeles County | California | Dissolved | now the Second Samoan Congregational Church | Shields, Fisher and Lake | Classical Revival | 1924 | Yes | |
| Twelfth Church of Christ, Scientist (San Francisco, California) | 60 Onondaga Av. San Francisco | San Francisco County | California | Dissolved | Now the Croatian American Cultural Center[5][6] | |||||
| Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist (Denver, Colorado) | 3101 W. 31st Ave, Denver |
Denver County | Colorado | Dissolved | Now the Zen Center of Denver | Hoyt and Hoyt | Renaissance | 1921 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Cocoa, Florida) | 121 Derby Street Cocoa | Brevard County | Florida | Relocated | Building at 121 Derby Street, bought in 1955 from the Seventh-Day Adventists, is now the Historic Derby Street Chapel. First Church relocated to 235 Indian River Drive. | Russell, Alonzo Bruce | Craftsman | 1924 | No | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Jacksonville, Florida) | 101 W 1st St (formerly 1116 N Laura St), Jacksonville | Duval County | Florida | Dissolved | Voluntarily dissolved August 10, 1993[7] Its former building is nw the Jacksonville branch of the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum | Marsh and Saxelbye | Classical Revival | 1921 | CP | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Orlando, Florida) | 24 North Rosalind Avenue Orlando | Orange County | Florida | Relocated | Now St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church.[8] First Church relocated to 915 North Ferncreek .[9] | Dunham, George Foote | Classical Revival | 1926-1927 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (St. Petersburg, Florida) | 253 Fifth Avenue, North St. Petersburg | Pinellas County | Florida | Relocated | Now the Palladium at St. Petersburg College. First Church is relocated to 6333 1st Street, Northeast. | Cheney, Henry Lovewell | Romanesque Revival | 1925 | CP | |
| Second Church of Christ, Scientist (St. Petersburg, Florida) | 6099 Central Avenue St. Petersburg | Piinellas County | Florida | Merged | Building at 6099 Central Avenue is now FreeFall Theatre. Second Church merged with First Church at 6333 1st Street, Northeast.[10] | |||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Huntington, Indiana) | 815 Warren St., Huntington | Huntington County | Indiana | Dissolved | Now the Dan Quayle Center | |||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Chicago, Illinois) | 4017 S. Drexel Blvd, Chicago | Cook County | Illinois | Dissolved | Now the Grant Memorial AME Church | Beman, Solon Spencer | 1897 | No | ||
| Third Church of Christ, Scientist (Chicago, Illinois) | 2151 W Washington Blvd, Chicago | Cook County | Illinois | Dissolved | Now the Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church | Garden, Hugh M.G. | 1921 | Local | ||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Rock Island, Illinois) | 700 22nd Street, Rock Island | Rock Island County | Illinois | Dissolved | Now vacant | Jones, William C. | Palladian | 1914-1915 | CP | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Anita, Iowa) | 812 3rd Street, Anita | Cass County | Iowa | Dissolved | Now the Anita Public Library | 1931 | Yes | |||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Mason City, Iowa) | 23 3rd St, N.W., Mason City | Cerro Gordo County | Iowa | Dissolved | Now professional offices | Smith, Clyde W. | 1928 | Yes | ||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Fairfield, Iowa) | 300 East Burlington Ave, Fairfield | Jefferson County | Iowa | Dissolved | Now St. Gabriel and All Angels Liberal Catholic Church | 1927 | Yes eligible | |||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Marshalltown, Iowa) | 412 W Main St, Marshalltown | Marshall County | Iowa | Dissolved | Bulldozed in August, 1985.[11] | Garden, Hugh M.G. | Prairie School | 1903 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Davenport, Iowa) | 636 Kirkwood Boulevard Davenport |
Scott County | Iowa | Relocated | Now the Harvest Time Family Worship Center. First Church relocated to 3705 Fairhaven Road. | Clausen and Clausen | Classical Revival | 1912 | Yes | |
| Christian Science Church (Chatham, Massachusetts) | 805 Main Street, Chatham | Barnstable County | Massachusetts | Relocated | Now the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Chatham.[12] There is a CS Journal listing for First Church, Harwich-Chatham, located in Harwich Port.[13] | Unknown | ||||
| Mary Baker Eddy Home | 400 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Newton | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | Dissolved | Sold to the Longyear Foundation, which is now restoring it.[14] | Peabody and Stearns, 1880; Solon Spencer Beman, 1907 | 1880 | Yes | ||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Newton, Massachusetts) | 391 Walnut St., Newtonville, Newton | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | Relocated | Now Oxford House apartments. Building at 391 Walnut Street was sold for $1,050,000 to be converted into apartments.[15] First Church now meets at 1141 Walnut St, Newton Highlands | Densmore, LeClear and Robbins | Georgian Revival | 1940 | CP | |
| First Church of Christ Scientist (Kalamazoo, Michigan) | Corner of South & Park sts. Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo, County | Michigan | Relocated | Since 2006 owned by Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, which has rented it out to churches. First Church relocated to 1225 Portage Street | Jones, William C. | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1897 (Minneapolis, Minnesota) | 614-620 15th Street, East, Minneapolis | Hennepin County | Minnesota | Relocated later dissolved | Now the Physical Theatre Lab which uses the address of 616 E 15TH St. In 1914 First Church moved to 2315 Nicollet Ave, but later dissolved | Bowler, Septimus J. | Mixed | 1897 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1914 (Minneapolis, Minnesota} | 2315 Nicollet Ave (Nicollet Ave & E 24th St) Minneapolis | Hennepin County | Minnesota | Dissolved | Now the Minneapolis First Seventh-day Adventist Church.[16][17][18] | Beman, Solon Spencer | 1914 | No | ||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Fairmont, Minnesota) | 222 E Blue Earth Ave, Fairmont | Martin County | Minnesota | Dissolved | Now the Red Rock Center for the Arts. Church sold building in 1937 and moved to a second building at 205 Albion Avenue, but later dissolved. | Jones, Harry Wild | Richardsonian Romanesque | 1898 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist, Albion Avenue (Fairmont, Minnesota) | 205 Albion Ave, Fairmont | Martin County | Minnesota | Dissolved | Now the Lakeview Funeral Home. | Faulkner, Charles Draper | Georgian Revival | 1937 | No | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Vicksburg, Mississippi) | 206 Main Street, Vicksburg | Adams County | Mississippi | Dissolved | As of 1973, the church was located in the former Commercial Bank, which was declared a National Historic Landmark that year. The church is no longer in existence. | Unknown | 1833 | Yes | ||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Reno, Nevada) | 501 Riverside Drive, Reno |
Washoe County | Nevada | Relocated | Now the Lear Theater. First Church relocated to 795 West Peckham Lane. | Williams, Paul Revere | Classical Revival | 1939 | Yes | |
| Christian Science Pleasant View Home | 227 Pleasant St, Concord | Merrimack County | New Hampshire | Dissolved | Now a profit-making retirement home. [19] | Bowditch, Arthur H., building; Arthur Asahel Shurcliff, landscaping | Georgian Revival | 1926 | Yes | |
| Christian Science Society (Cape May, New Jersey) | 34 Gurney St, corner of Columbia St, Cape May | Cape May County | New Jersey | Dissolved | Now a bed and breakfast | Button, Stephen Decatur | 1869 - 1870 | CP | ||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Plainfield, New Jersey) | 905 Prospect Ave, corner E 9th St. Plainfield | Union County | New Jersey | Delisted | Now Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent. Dropped from the CS Journal in 1977.[20] | unknown | Georgisn Revival | unknown | No | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (New York, New York) | One West 96th Street at Central Park West Manhattan | New York County | New York | Merged | In 2003 First Church of Christ, Scientist merged with Second Church of Christ, Scientist. The building at 96th Street is now Crenshaw Christian Center. The merged CS congregation now uses the name First Church but worships at the former Second Church on 68th Street. | Carrère and Hastings | ||||
| Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist (New York City) | 551 Ft. Washington Avenue, corner of 185th Street, Washington Heights, Manhattan | New York County | New York | Dissolved | Now Hebrew Tabernacle of Washington Heights | Cherry and Matz | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Cleveland, Ohio) | 2200 Overlook Road, in the University Circle area of Cleveland | Cuyahoga County | Ohio | Relocated | Now the headquarters of Nottingham•Spirk Design Associates. First Church is now located at 3181 Fairmount Boulevard. | Walker and Weeks | ||||
| Third Church of Christ, Scientist (Cleveland, Ohio) | 3648 W 25th St (now 3648 Pearl Rd), Cleveland | Cuyahoga County | Ohio | Dissolved | Vacant in 1907. Now Bethlehem Temple of Praise Church.[21] Third Church of Christ, Scientist is no longer listed in the Christian Science Journal.[22] | Striebinger, Frederick N. | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Lakewood, Ohio) | 15422 Detroit Ave, Lakewood | Cuyahoga County | Ohio | Dissolved | Now the 15422 LTD Building | Faulkner, Charles Draper | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Sandusky, Ohio) | 28 East Adams St, Sandusky | Erie County | Ohio | Dissolved | Now Emmanuel Temple Church, affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World | |||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Toledo, Ohio) | 2704 Monroe Street Toledo | Lucas County | Ohio | Relocated | Now the Universal Community Church. First Church is now located at 4647 West Central Avenue, Ottawa Hills | Yost and Packard | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Lebanon, Ohio) | 342 Columbus Avenue. Lebanon |
Warren County | Ohio | Relocated | Now a house museum. First Church is now a CS Society and meets at 109 West Mulberry Street | |||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) | 1200 N. Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City | Oklahoma County | Oklahoma | Relocated | Now vacant. First church meets at 4700 North Portland. | |||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Portland, Oregon) | 1813 NW Everett St, Portland, Oregon | Multnomah County | Oregon | Dissolved | Now the Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center (NWNCC).[23] | Beman, Solon Spencer | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Forest Grove, Oregon) | 1904 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove | Washington County | Oregon | Dissolved | Now an office building[24] The church congregation no longer exists.[25] | Beman, Spencer, son of Solon Spencer Beman | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) | 635 Clyde Street Pittsburgh | Allegheny | Pennsylvania | Relocated | Building was sold to the University of Pittsburgh and is now Pitt's University Child Development Center. First Church now meets at 201 North Dithridge.[26] | Beman, Solon Spencer | Classical Revival | 1904 | Local | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Scranton, Pennsylvania) | 520 Vine Street Scranton | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | Relocated | Now the Lackawanna County Children's Library. First Church is now Christian Science Society, Scranton, and meets at 335 North Washington Avenue.[26] | Ward, Albert J. | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Paris, Texas) | 339 West Kaufman, Paris | Lamar County | Texas | Dissolved | Vacant in 1988. Now being used by a Spanish-speaking Baptist congregation.[27] | Unknown | ||||
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Salt Lake City, Utah) | 352 East 300 South (352 East Broadway), Salt Lake City | Salt Lake County | Utah | Dissolved | It is no longer listed in the Christian Science Journal,[28] After being used for a time by Anthony's Fine Art and Antiques, the building is once again being used as a church: Iglesia La Luz del Mundo[29] | Ware, Walter E. | Richardsonian Romanesque | 1898 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Seattle, Washington) | 1519 East Denny Way / 1841 16th Avenue, Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle | King County | Washington | Relocated | Now a housing complex called The Sanctuary.[30] First Church relocated to 900 Thomas Street | Heath, Frederick | Classical Revival | 1906 - 1908 | Local | |
| Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist (Seattle, Washington) | 1119 8th Ave, Seattle | King County | Washington | Dissolved | Sold by the church in 1998 for $1,600,000. Now Town Hall Seattle | unknown | Classical Revival | 1916 - 1922 | No | |
| Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist (Seattle, Washington) | 3515 S Alaska St (corner of 36th Ave, S), Seattle | King County | Washington | Dissolved | Now the Rainier Valley Cultural Center | Roberts, Earl A. | Mixed | 1921 | CP | |
| Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist (Seattle, Washington) | 2656 42nd Avenue, SW, Seattle | King County | Washington | Merged | Building is now the Sanctuary at Admiral and is a venue for weddings and banquets. Sixth Church merged with Fourteenth Church of Christ, Scientist | Field, Gerald C. | Art Deco | 1929 | Local | |
| Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist (Seattle, Washington) | 2555 8th Ave, West (corner of W Halladay St), Seattle | King County | Washington | Dissolved | Now the Seattle Church of Christ | Thomas, Harlan | Mixed, Octagon | 1926 | No | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Neillsville, Wisconsin) | 132 E 4th St, Neillsville | Clark County | Wisconsin | Dissolved | current use unknown | Corbey, L. J. | Classical Revival | 1916 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Madison, Wisconsin) | 315 Wisconsin Ave. Madison |
Dane County | Wisconsin | Relocated | Now occupied by a marketing and advertising agency. First Church relocated to 610 South Segoe Road | Riley, Frank M. Riley | Classical Revival | 1929 | Yes | |
| First Church of Christ, Scientist (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) | 1443-1451 North Prospect Ave, Milwaukee | Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | Dissolved | Now the 1451 Renaissance Place | Beman, Solon Spencer | Classical Revival | 1907 | Yes | |
| Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) | 3069 North Downer Ave, Milwaukee | Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | Relocated | Now the Chinese Christian Church of Milwaukee. Fourth Church relocated to 2011 East Capitol Drive, Shorewood, Wisconsin.[31][32][33] | Faulkner, Charles Draper | Georgian Revival | 1930 | No | |
| Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) | 1036 N. Van Buren St. Milwaukee |
Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | Dissolved | Now Metrobrook Church. | Grey, Elmer | Mixed | 1902 | Yes |
Note: Following the custom of early New England Congregational and Baptist churches, Churches of Christ, Scientist, in a city or town are numbered First, Second, Third, etc. Societies are not numbered, however. Since all churches and societies are listed in the monthly Christian Science Journal, it is possible to determine the numbers of most but not all missing churches. For example, if a city has listings for only second and fourth churches, it is obvious that first and third are missing. To be certain that fifth church is missing, though, it would be necessary to make sure that there was in fact a fifth church.