Unity Church, the predecessor to Unity Temple, was founded on January 25, 1871. By August of 1872, the congregation had constructed a traditional Gothic revival church building.

The congregation consisted of liberal-minded individuals who purposely remained free of institutional affiliation. From 1886 to 1891, Augusta Chapin, a multi-talented Universalist woman, served as Pastor. She was an old friend of Anna Jones Wright, the mother of Frank Lloyd Wright.