Church of Christ (Perry, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church of Christ
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Image of the church on the monument
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 102 Main St. Perry, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1880 |
| Built by | E. Shonen |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Demolished | 2014 |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000675 |
| Added to NRHP | August 8, 2006 |
The Church of Christ was a historic church building. It was located at 102 Main Street in Perry, Illinois, a town in Pike County, Illinois. This church was an important part of the community for many years.
What the Church Looked Like
The church was built in 1880. It had a special style called Carpenter Gothic. This means it was a wooden building that looked like older stone Gothic churches. The Church of Christ group in Perry had started much earlier, in 1837.
The building was one story tall. Its outside walls were made of wood planks called board-and-batten siding. The church sat on a strong foundation made of limestone.
The front of the church was very impressive. It had a tall, three-part steeple. A steeple is a tall tower on a church roof. This steeple had a tower with arched windows. Above that was a lantern section with louvered windows. Louvered windows have angled slats to let air and light in. On top of the steeple was a pointed spire. The spire sat on a special roof called a mansard roof.
The main entrance to the church was at the bottom of this tower. It was shaped like a Gothic arch, which is a pointed arch. On each side of the entrance, there were beautiful stained glass windows. These windows had colorful designs of flowers and shapes.
The Church of Christ was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 8, 2006. This list recognizes important historical places in the United States.
What Happened to the Church?
Sadly, the Church of Christ building was destroyed. On October 1, 2014, lightning struck the church. This caused a big fire.
Firefighters from eight nearby towns rushed to help. These towns included Perry, North Pike, Griggsville, Baylis, Pittsfield, Mount Sterling, Versailles, and Meredosia. Even with all their help, they could not save the building.
After the fire, what was left of the church had to be taken down. Today, the place where the church once stood is a memorial park. There is a historical marker there to remember the church.
Images for kids
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Church site in 2018
