St. Mary's Church of Gilberts
National Register of Historic Places

St. Mary's Church of Gilberts

Gilberts, Kane County, Illinois
Listed
August 17, 1992
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
92001018

About this property

St. Mary's Church of Gilberts is a historic church in Gilberts, Illinois. The Catholic church was built for the increasing population in the town in the late 19th century. The church is an excellent example of the rural Stick Style designs that some churches developed in the 1880s. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Gilberts, Illinois developed shortly after the construction of the Chicago and North Western Railroad in 1851. An early increase in the number of Catholic locals required the construction of a much larger Catholic church. A church (the second Gilberts church with the St. Mary's name) was demolished in 1882 to make room for a new one. The present St. Mary's Church of Gilberts was built later that year at a cost of $2,800, using some of the materials from the previous church. A local carpenter, Oliver Kelly, designed and built the church in the Stick Style. Uncertainty remains about how the church leaders decided on that style, but it may have been due to pattern books distributed to church leaders in the late 19th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 18, 1992. The church was built on the northwest corner of Mattesen St. and Union St. (now Galligan Rd.). The design of the church is consistent with rural interpretations of the Stick Style. The front of the one-story church faces the southeast. The rectangular frame structure features a steep gable roof but no steeple. This asphalt shingle roof is accentuated with dormers and window hoods and has wide eaves on either side. Large stained glass rose windows adorn the front and rear ends of the church, each with a large pointed arch above it and five smaller window arches below it. The front and two sides have additional stained glass windows with pointed arch openings. The front side had an additional quatrefoil window in the gable. Concrete steps with iron railings lead to the entrance, which features oak paneled double doors. Additional doorways are located on the east and north sides; the east doorway is the only entrance to the basement, which was built in the 1950s. The interior resembles a simple basilica with a high nave, a vestibule, and low aisles. A stairway on the left leads to the choir loft. A second set of wooden doors separated the vestibule from the rest of the interior. The interior walls are covered with plaster in shades of yellow. Statues, the altar table, and the tabernacle were restored in 1990. The altar is painted white with gold trim. The floor is pine, covered with linoleum under the pews and with carpet and sanctuary.

Location

10 Matteson St.
Gilberts, Kane County, Illinois
42.10633, -88.37498

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about St. Mary's Church of Gilberts

This page lists St. Mary's Church of Gilberts. 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:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your St. Mary's Church of Gilberts report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Teeple Barn
Industrial
2.8 mi
Memorial Washington Reformed Presbyterian Church
Early Republic
3 mi
Library Hall
Industrial
4.5 mi
Dundee Township Historic District
Listed
4.6 mi
Geister, Christian, House
Industrial
5.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Buffalo Grove Skirmish
1832Early Republic
9.8 mi
Skirmish at Buffalo Grove
1832Early Republic
10.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. Mary's Church of Gilberts listed on the National Register?

St. Mary's Church of Gilberts was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 17, 1992.

What type of historic resource is St. Mary's Church of Gilberts?

St. Mary's Church of Gilberts is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for St. Mary's Church of Gilberts?

The period of significance for St. Mary's Church of Gilberts is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near St. Mary's Church of Gilberts?

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 St. Mary's Church of Gilberts will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Kane County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Kane County.

Explore KaneCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near St. Mary's Church of Gilberts will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report