Pioneer Gothic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pioneer Gothic Church
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 201 N. Franklin St., Dwight, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1857 |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000325 |
| Added to NRHP | July 28, 1983 |
The Pioneer Gothic Church is a very old and special church building. You can find it in the small town of Dwight, Illinois, in the United States. It's a rare example of a church built mostly from wood in a style called Carpenter Gothic. This church was added to a list of important places, the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, in 1983.
The Church's Story
The Pioneer Gothic Church was built a long time ago, in 1857. A group of people called Presbyterians built it in Dwight, Illinois. This town is in Livingston County.
In 1860, a very important visitor came to Dwight. It was Prince Edward of Wales, who later became a king. He was in Dwight for a hunting trip. While he was there, he attended a church service at the Pioneer Gothic Church.
Between 1869 and 1891, the town of Dwight had four big fires. Many buildings made of wood were destroyed. But the Pioneer Gothic Church, even though it was made of wood, survived all of them!
For many years, the building was used as a church. It also served as a meeting place for the local government, called a township hall. Today, the Dwight Historical Society takes care of this special building.
What Does It Look Like?
The Pioneer Gothic Church is a great example of a Carpenter Gothic building. This style means it looks like a grand, stone Gothic Revival cathedral. But it is actually built mostly from wood.
Wooden churches like this were very rare in early Illinois. Wood was hard to find on the open prairie. Also, fires happened often, which made wooden buildings risky. So, this church shows how skilled the builders were.
The church uses a special type of siding called "board and batten." This is often seen on barns. It makes the church look very tall and pointed. The corners of the towers are also cut in a special way, called "chamfered." This also helps the building look even taller.
Why Is It Special?
The Pioneer Gothic Church is a very important building. In 2007, a group called the American Institute of Architects celebrated their 150th birthday. They chose the Dwight Pioneer Gothic Church as one of "150 great places in Illinois."
Later, in 2018, Illinois celebrated its 200th birthday. The same group, the American Institute of Architects Illinois, again picked the church. They called it one of the "Illinois 200 Great Places."
This church is special because it is one of "only a handful" of old wooden Carpenter Gothic churches left in Illinois. Most churches from the 1800s in this style are gone. The Pioneer Gothic Church was officially added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 28, 1983. This means it is recognized as a very important historical place.
