The abolitionists decided to leave the Second Presbyterian Church in Columbus to found their own Congregational community.

Their first church was a frame chapel at the northeast corner of Third Street and Lynn Alley.

With membership increasing, the congregation dedicated a new church building on December 23, 1857, at 73 East Broad Street.

Following further membership growth, the congregation dedicated its current Gothic Revival cathedral on December 6, 1931.

The 18,000 sq ft (1,700 m2) of park land was already owned by the church, which entered into a public-private partnership to create the space.