Ryan Wisniewski
Luther Memorial Chapel
Luther Memorial Chapel
626 University Ave.
Possibly our most overlooked worship center despite its prominent location, this was the predecessor of the cathedral-like Luther Memorial Church a few blocks west. Madisonians best know it as the Churchkey Bar and Grill. (The name is a play on words. It refers both to the building's original use and a distinctive appliance used to open beer cans before tab-openers.) The chapel is a rare local example of Elizabethan Revival architecture, designed by the Madison firm of Claude and Starck, best known for its Prairie Style libraries across the state.
The chapel was dedicated in 1915, and was intended for both students and downtown residents. It is built of dressed limestone and features a Tudor entryway. Originally it was a freestanding structure and had heavy oak doors.
Its spiritual life was short. A full church addition was planned for the corner with Lake Street. Instead, Luther Memorial Church, 1019 University Ave., was erected several blocks away in 1921. The new Neo-Gothic facility was built on a grand scale, designed by the Madison firm of Starck, Sheldon and Schneider.
The chapel then became a funeral parlor. Later it was home to a variety of bars and nightclubs, notably Headliners in the 1970s and '80s. Virtually nothing remains of its original interior.
