Unity Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Unity Chapel
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Spring Green, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Built | 1886 |
| Architect |
|
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000092 |
| Added to NRHP | July 18, 1974 |
The Unity Chapel is a special building located in Wyoming, a town in Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. It was added to a list of important historical places called the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This chapel is famous because it was one of the very first projects that the well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright worked on.
Contents
The Chapel's Story: How It Began
Who Designed Unity Chapel?
Unity Chapel was designed in 1886 by an architect named Joseph Lyman Silsbee. His office was in Chicago. Silsbee was a top designer of buildings in the "Shingle style" in the Midwest. He made the chapel a simple example of this unique style.
Frank Lloyd Wright's First Project
Even though he wasn't officially working for Silsbee yet, an eighteen-year-old Frank Lloyd Wright helped with the inside of the chapel. This makes Unity Chapel the earliest known building that Wright worked on. It's cool to think that one of the world's most famous architects started here!
Why Was Unity Chapel Built?
The chapel was built for Wright's uncle, Jenkin Lloyd Jones. He wanted a private chapel for his family, the Lloyd Jones relatives, who lived nearby. Jones had asked Silsbee to design another church for him in Chicago the year before. The land around the chapel also has a cemetery where family members are buried. This includes the grave of the famous Hollywood actress Anne Baxter.
Becoming a Historic Place
After Unity Chapel was finished, Frank Lloyd Wright moved to Chicago and started working for Silsbee. The National Park Service recognized the building's importance. They added it to the National Register of Historic Places on July 18, 1974. This means it's a protected historical site.
Looking at the Architecture: What Does It Look Like?
The Chapel's Unique Shape
The Unity Chapel is a small building shaped like a reversed letter "L." The shorter part of the "L" points north and works as the entrance. The longer part points east and is the main hall where services are held.
Roof and Other Features
The roof is steeply sloped and has a special tower called a belfry where the roof sections meet. This belfry is square and has its own bell-shaped roof. Each of its four sides has a round opening. The chapel follows the "Shingle style" design. This means that both the roof and the outside walls are covered with wood shingles. The chapel sits on a strong foundation made of rough stone.
Windows and the Family Graveyard
You can find groups of three windows on the north, south, and west walls. These windows have two parts: the top part has twelve small glass panes, and the bottom part is one large pane.
The chapel's graveyard is where many of Frank Lloyd Wright's family members, the Lloyd Joneses, are buried. Wright himself was first buried there. However, his remains were later moved to his winter home, Taliesin West, in Arizona. This happened after his widow, Olgivanna Lloyd Wright, passed away in 1985.
See also
- List of Frank Lloyd Wright works
