8549 Gratiot Avenue
Gratiot Avenue Presbyterian Church
A Gratiot Avenue Presbyterian Church has existed since at least 1875. I’m unsure if that’s the same one currently standing at the corner of Gratiot and Burns, but that fact remains true.
The cornerstone for the structure pictured here was laid in August 1913. The church was designed by Feldman & Seeler, and the current Gratiot Avenue Presbyterian Church, or GAP, would be complete by 1914.
In 1928, renovations were underway at the building. A cement basement was laid, the auditorium was painted, the heating plant was overhauled, and the exterior was painted. I believe that, at one time, the church had numerous buildings—not just the one that stands today, but I can’t be sure.
By the late 1930s, the church wasn’t doing well financially, and the bank threatened foreclosure in 1939. At that time, its debt was refinanced, and the building was saved. In 1942 the $8,000 debt was paid off, and the church burned the mortgage earlier than expected.
Reverend Thomas London Jones was the pastor when the debts were paid off. He would pass away on April 2, 1944, after serving Gratiot Avenue Presbyterian for 18 years. Born in England, he was just 58 years old when he died.
It’s odd—from the 1960s to the 1980s, many churches in Detroit changed hands. Typically, that transfer of locations makes the history of a building hard to trace. However, in the case of Gratiot Avenue Presbyterian, there just isn’t much information out there. The same congregation still owns and uses it. I don’t believe weekly services are held anymore—but the property is maintained, and it was used as recently as 2021.
There are dozens of idle church buildings like this across Detroit that are well-maintained but not needed. Even if you aren’t religious, it’s a rather sad predicament. There isn’t much you can use an old church for other than as a meeting place. Many of these churches have folded or stopped practicing weekly masses due to population loss, which makes finding a use for a meeting space hard.
Hopefully, Gratiot Avenue Presbyterian will use the space again or find a group that can. The structure appears to be in stunning shape—hopefully, it stays that way.
The address is also listed as 8555 Gratiot Avenue. This church is across the street from 8605 Gratiot Avenue, an old service station, which I recently documented.
