The Disciples of Christ congregation that established Franklin Circle Christian Church has a long history that dates back to the church’s founding in 1842. President James A. Garfield served as a pastor in the early years before the Civil War, in the congregation’s first building, “God’s Barn,” erected in 1848. Designed in the Gothic Revival style by architects Cudell and Richardson in 1874, Franklin Circle Christian Church was completed in 1883 and a Sunday school wing added in 1916. In 1953, the church was struck by a tornado that destroyed the north window and a chimney. Today, the church still serves the needs of the neighborhood and remains one of the oldest, most prominent structures on Franklin Circle.