From the Archives …

As I read the historical correspondence and records for the Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian-Universalist churches in Urbana, I frequently find information about our buildings, land, houses, farms, and even cemetery plots. That makes sense, of course, as churches need buildings from which to practice their missions, and sometimes church members gift or bequeath property to the church.

I recently found a letter from Rev. Jack Taylor, dated March 29, 1968, offering a four-grave plot in Eastlawn Cemetery for sale. It had been a gift to the church and the Board of Trustees wanted to sell it for $400. I wondered if we still owned it and, with the help of people associated with Eastlawn, I learned that the cemetery association doesn’t know when or how it changed hands, but does know that Jane and John Anderson are buried in two of the graves and the two remaining empty graves in our plot are listed in the name “Sybil.”

Concerning another piece of property owned by the Unitarian Universalist Church, I found a memo dated December 9, 1963 from Charles S. Havens, Director of the Physical Plant of the University of Illinois, to his colleague in the Space Planning Office, J.V. Edsall. In it Mr. Havens thanked Mr. Edsall for the “letter of November 18 and the report on the proposal received by the Universalist Unitarian Church for the purchase of the church owned property at the southeast corner of Oregon Street and Mathews Avenue, Urbana.”

The proposal Mr. Havens is referring to is one submitted to UUCUC by the real estate firm of Barr and Squires to purchase the property occupied by the Channing Murray Foundation at 1209 West Oregon. In addition to a direct purchase, the real estate investors also asked our

church to consider a long-term (55-75 years) land lease. Mr. Havens continued in his memo to Mr. Edsall, “As you know, the University has long been interested in the acquisition of this property if and when it becomes available for sale.

Negotiations were initiated in 1955 for the acquisition of this property and although several proposals were made, no agreements were reached.”

He concludes his message to Mr. Edsall with, “ As the University did not anticipate that this property would be available for sale at this time, no funds were budgeted in the 1963-65 biennium for this acquisition of this property. However, the University is definitely interested in acquiring the property if it is available for sale, Accordingly, the University will either consider a sale price established by the church or the University will submit a proposed purchase price to the church based on the values as estimated by outside appraisers.”