National Register of Historic Places

Baha'i Temple

Wilmette, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
May 22, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78001140

About this property

The Baháʼí House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, is a Baháʼí temple. It is the second Baháʼí House of Worship constructed and the oldest one still standing. It is one of eight continental temples, constructed to serve all of North America. The temple was designed by French-Canadian architect Louis Bourgeois (1856–1930), who received design feedback from ʻAbdu'l-Bahá during a 1920 visit to Haifa. To convey the Baháʼí principle of the unity of religion, Bourgeois incorporated a variety of religious architecture and symbols. Although ʻAbdu'l-Bahá participated in a groundbreaking ceremony in 1912 that laid a cornerstone, construction began in earnest in the early 1920s and was significantly delayed by the Great Depression and World War II. Construction resumed in 1947, and the temple was dedicated in a ceremony in 1953. Baháʼí Houses of Worship are intended to include several social, humanitarian, and educational institutions clustered around the temple, although none have been built to such an extent. The temples are not intended as local meeting places but are open to the public and used as devotional spaces for people of any faith.

Location

100 Linden Ave.
Wilmette, Cook County, Illinois
42.07425, -87.68414

Categories

ENGINEERINGARCHITECTURERELIGION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Linden Avenue Terminal
Industrial
0.4 mi
Warren, Edward Kirk, House and Garage
Industrial
0.4 mi
Colonnade Court
Industrial
0.5 mi
Baker, Frank J., House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Bailey-Michelet House
Industrial
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Baha'i Temple listed on the National Register?

Baha'i Temple was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Baha'i Temple?

Baha'i Temple is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Baha'i Temple?

The period of significance for Baha'i Temple is recorded as the industrial era.

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