Prout Chapel
Prout Chapel is a popular space for events, ceremonies, worship services for religious groups, student organizations, and University departments. The small, 156-seat sanctuary has retained its warmth and intimacy, which is one reason many couples choose Prout Chapel for their weddings.
Guidelines for the Use of Prout Chapel
- Please adhere to the hours for which your have the chapel reserved, as other events may be scheduled to immediately follow your event.
- All decorations should be removed from the chapel before leaving the premises or a cleaning fee will be imposed.
- Use of the chapel's equipment is permitted (organ, piano, etc.). We suggest you go to Prout Chapel prior to your event to see what items are available for use. You should contact our office at 419-372-9000 to be sure that Prout Chapel is not being used during the time you plan to go visit.
- Even though there is no specific rental fee for the use of Prout Chapel, a $150 minimum donation is requested to provide for the upkeep and maintenance of the building.
- Parking is available in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union Main lot , directly behind Prout Chapel. Depending on the event, you may receive up to 10 complimentary parking passes for that lot. More passes are available for a fee. To get more passes, stop by the Student Union Conference and Event Services Office, Suite 231.
- If your event is canceled, please inform the Conference and Event Services Office immediately at 419-372-9000 so that others may use the space.
Reserving Prout Chapel
If you wish to reserve Prout Chapel or schedule a visit, please contact us at 419-372-9000.
The facilities of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union, located next to Prout Chapel, are often used for wedding receptions. The Student Union Event Planners would be pleased to discuss reception arrangements with you.
History
The idea for the chapel took shape in 1945 when five women approached Dr. Frank Prout, President of the University, about the need for such a facility. Dr. Prout secured the funding for the project and worked with the students to make the chapel a reality.
In November 1950, Norma June Heckman and George Walton set a precedent when they walked down the aisle in Prout Chapel to be united in marriage. Since then, hundreds of weddings have been held in Prout Chapel, with its charm and intimacy. In its first six months of existence, eight weddings were held there. In the 1970s, about 50 weddings a year were reported to have taken place. The most popular times have always been summers and the end of the University's academic terms.
The building is an authentic copy of the Firelands' churches constructed by Congregationalist settlers who came to Ohio from Connecticut after the Revolutionary War. Surrounded by tall trees and flowering shrubs in the campus interior, Prout Chapel has a quaint and rustic appearance that makes it appealing as a wedding site. The original pegged-oak floors are now covered with carpeting. Visitors sit in narrow walnut pews. The non-denominational chapel also offers the flexibility to have your own minister and style of ceremony.
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