Category Archives: Midcentury churches

A rare bird: the Art Deco church

Posted on August 20, 2012 by

One day last summer I was looking at a map of the city, looking for places I hadn’t been.  I realized I couldn’t remember ever venturing west on Irving Park, so, off I went. I saw lots of neat stuff, … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Rebori, Art Deco, Midcentury churches | 6 Comments

Church of St. Luke

Posted on April 16, 2012 by

Inner city Chicago is not the best place to hunt for grand Mid-Century architectural statements. Nonetheless, at 1500 W. Belmont, just east of Ashland, you’ll find one of the region’s most fantastic post-war churches. Ground was broken for the Evangelical … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury churches | 2 Comments

St. Priscilla Catholic Church

Posted on October 3, 2011 by

It’s nothing mind-blowing from the outside, but if you know how to read your MidCentury vocabulary, you can tell there’s going to be great things inside. St. Priscilla Church (6949 W. Addison, 1957) does not disappoint. The entry hall is … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury churches | 1 Comment

Chicago’s Holy Corner

Posted on September 20, 2010 by

From the downtown intersection of Clark and Madison, you’re within a two minute walk of a Catholic church, a Protestant church, and a Jewish synagogue. And all three are well worth the visit. First United Methodist Church (The Chicago Temple) … Continue reading →

Posted in historicist churches, Midcentury churches | 1 Comment

Another Stade Church, but not just another Stade church

Posted on May 27, 2010 by

Midcentury architect Charles Stade didn’t often break from his standard A-frame mold, but he certainly could do so when the budget and program called for it. This was certainly the case with St. John’s Lutheran Church (W. Pratt, just east … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles E Stade, Midcentury churches | 1 Comment

Charles E. Stade, Architect

Posted on May 24, 2010 by

He’s most famous for his magnificent chapel at Valpairaso University, south of Chicago. But Park Ridge architect Charles Stade designed dozens (reportedly hundreds) of churches, across Chicagoland and across America, from the early 1950s until his retirement in 1981. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles E Stade, Midcentury churches | 14 Comments

St. Joseph Ukrainian Catholic Church

Posted on April 29, 2010 by

It’s been my experience that the Eastern branches and populations of Christianity (Greek Orthodox, Ukrainian, Russian) really don’t care much what the outside of the church looks like – they’re sticking with traditional styles on the inside, no matter how … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury churches, O'Hare neighborhood | 2 Comments

Another 1960s hospital chapel

Posted on April 18, 2010 by

Mercy Hospital’s office tower is hard to miss when you’re flying along the stub of highway that collects 90, 94, and 55 and funnels them all onto Lake Shore Drive. It’s a decent bit of Onassis Modern, clean, spare and … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury churches | 1 Comment

Northwestern University Chapel

Posted on March 23, 2010 by

The Alice S. Millar Chapel (Edward Gray Halstead, architect, for Jensen and Halstead) is a highly visible landmark in the north shore suburb of Evanston, standing at the point where Chicago Avenue splits off from Sheridan. Its front window of … Continue reading →

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St. Gertrude Church

Posted on October 12, 2009 by

St. Gertrude (9613 Schiller Boulevard, Franklin Park, west side) isn’t all that striking from the outside. It has bold massing and a strange hipped A-frame structure that makes it resemble a giant tent, but everything on the outside essentially exists … Continue reading →

Posted in Midcentury churches | 6 Comments