About this property
Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground is a historic Methodist church camp at 1250 Campground Road in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA. The annual camp meeting was established in 1860 by a group of Methodist ministers and businessmen, including the future war hero and Illinois Governor John L. Beveridge, on the scenic land of Squire Socrates Rand along the Des Plaines River. At the end of the US Civil War in 1865 approximately 25 equally scenic acres downstream (in what some deem to be the lowest geographical point in the Midwest) were purchased from Squire Rand with donations. Upon these grounds the meetings have been held annually without interruption. The Chicago District Camp Ground Association was granted a charter in 1867 and continues to be led by an elected Board of Trustees. Chosen for the proximity to Chicago (about 16 miles), Squire Rand's properties bordered both a C&NW train line and a popular road that served travelers from the college town of Evanston, Illinois, home to Northwestern University then and now, making it an ideal location to bring Midwesterners together to express their Christian faith in the serenity of the outdoors. Each summer in the early years devout Methodists staked out the groves to create a tent city, including boardwalks with signposts. A large clearing served as the main sanctuary where a platform speaker's stand served as stage for the ministers and choirs. Upwards of 10,000 people filled the groves for the large meetings. A train depot was eventually built to add a stop to the train lines from Chicago to save people from the mile-long walk from downtown Des Plaines. The ticket booth still stands off Campground Road, which runs parallel to the CNW train line. By the mid 1860s, devoted participants had tired of pitching tents. They began building temporary cottages meant to stand for 5–10 years. Many still stand today. Most of the current 100 cottages were built between 1870 and 1930 in a uniform late Victorian architecture style as found on Martha's Vineyard. Several important meeting houses were built for the many ongoing gatherings. In 1903 the American Tabernacle was built based on the architectural principles of the Eiffel Tower, rendering it devoid of support pillars that might obstruct a view of the stage. Later named the Waldorf Tabernacle (after Bishop Ernest Lynn Waldorf), its circular shape mimics the original tents and other similar tabernacles built for similar Chautauqua meetings throughout the United States. Cottages built around the circle are among the oldest surviving. All cottages are built on paths that lead to at least one of the many tabernacles.
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground
This page lists Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground listed on the National Register?
Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 2005.
What type of historic resource is Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground?
Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground?
The period of significance for Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground is recorded as the pre_contact era, specifically around 1250.
Can I research the history near Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Cook County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Cook County.
Explore CookCounty ›More historic places in Illinois
Browse all historic places in Illinois.
View Illinoishistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.