Maple Street Chapel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maple Street Chapel
Religion
Affiliation	United Church of Christ, formerly Congregational
Leadership	Rev. Jeffrey Phillips
Location
Location	Maple and Main Streets Lombard, DuPage County, Illinois, U.S.
Architecture
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1870; 155 years ago (1870)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Added to NRHP	August 10, 1978
NRHP Reference no.	78001144

The Maple Street Chapel is a beautiful old building in Lombard, Illinois, U.S. It was built in a style called Gothic Revival, which looks a bit like old European castles and churches. This special building is owned by "The First Church of Lombard."

A Look Back: The Chapel's Story

The Maple Street Chapel has a long and interesting history. Before this building, the church community met in a different place built in 1851. The Maple Street Chapel, which can seat 170 people, was officially opened on May 29, 1870.

For its first 50 years, a room in the chapel was used as the very first public library in Lombard. It held books from Josiah Torrey Reade. The first kindergarten class in Lombard also started right here in the church!

The chapel's bell was very important. It not only called people to church on Sundays but also rang to alert the town's volunteer firefighters when there was a fire. Back then, people could even rent their seats, called pews, inside the church. The seats closest to the heater were the most popular! Later, the Chapel even showed silent movies.

The Maple Street Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.

The Chapel Today

Today, the Maple Street Chapel is not used for regular church services. Instead, it's a popular place for special events like weddings, concerts, and other programs. The First Church of Lombard still serves the community, but their main worship services are now held in a larger building next door that can seat 400 people.

The First Church of Lombard is part of the United Church of Christ. Their pastor since 2020 has been Rev. Dr. Jill Terpstra. While the church still owns the chapel, a group called the Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society, Inc., helps take care of it and keep it in good condition.

Building Style: Gothic Revival

The Maple Street Chapel is a rectangular building with a pointed roof, typical of the Gothic Revival style. Its main front faces north. There are three entrances, or porches, on the northeast, northwest, and southwest sides.

The chapel has eleven large, fancy windows with special colored glass designs called Grisaille. Five of these are on the east side, five on the west, and one on the north. There are also eight smaller, clear glass windows.

A tall tower with an open bell area, called a belfry, stands at the north end of the building. Smaller pointed towers, called spires, are on either side of the main tower. The original entrance on the north side was changed in 1915 when Maple Street was paved. Inside, the wooden benches (pews), wall panels (wainscoting), and pine floor are all original parts of the building.

News and Events

• August 2015: A small fire occurred at the chapel.

Videos

• History of Lombard's Maple Street Chapel on YouTube

Images for kids

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  The Maple Street Chapel