St. Mary's Church of Gilberts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Mary's Church of Gilberts
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St. Mary's Church of Gilberts in 2010
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gilberts, Kane County, Illinois, United States |
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| Built | 1882 |
| Architect | Oliver Kelley |
| Architectural style | Stick Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001018 |
| Added to NRHP | August 18, 1992 |
St. Mary's Church of Gilberts is an old and important church located in Gilberts, Illinois. It's a Catholic church that was built a long time ago, in the late 1800s. The town was growing, and more people needed a place to worship. This church is a great example of a building style called Stick Style, which was popular for some churches in the 1880s. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
How St. Mary's Church Was Built
The town of Gilberts, Illinois, started to grow quickly after a train line, the Chicago and North Western Railroad, was built in 1851. Many Catholic families moved to the area, and they needed a bigger church. So, in 1882, an older church (which was also called St. Mary's) was taken down.
The new St. Mary's Church of Gilberts was built in the same year. It cost about $2,800, which was a lot of money back then! Some parts of the old church were even used to build the new one. A local builder named Oliver Kelly designed and constructed the church. He used the Stick Style for its design. People aren't sure exactly why this style was chosen, but it might have been from special design books that were shared with church leaders at the time. The church was officially recognized as a historic place on August 18, 1992.
What the Church Looks Like
The church stands on the corner of Mattesen Street and Union Street (which is now called Galligan Road). Its design is a good example of the Stick Style used in country areas. The front of the church faces the southeast. It's a one-story building with a rectangular shape and a very steep roof. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles. It has special windows that stick out from the roof, called dormers, and wide edges that hang over the sides.
You'll see large, round stained glass windows, called rose windows, at the front and back of the church. Each of these has a big pointed arch above it and five smaller arched windows below. The front and sides of the church also have more stained glass windows with pointed arches. On the front, there's even a special four-leaf clover shaped window in the pointed part of the roof. Concrete steps with iron railings lead up to the main entrance. The doors are made of oak wood. There are also other doors on the east and north sides. The east door is the only way to get to the church's basement, which was added in the 1950s.
Inside, the church looks like a simple basilica. It has a tall main area called a nave, a small entry room called a vestibule, and lower areas on the sides. A staircase on the left leads up to the choir loft, where the choir sings. Another set of wooden doors separates the entry room from the main part of the church. The inside walls are covered in yellow plaster. The statues, the altar table, and the tabernacle (a special box for religious items) were all fixed up in 1990. The altar is white with gold trim. The floor is made of pine wood. Under the church benches, it's covered with linoleum, and the special area near the altar has carpet.
