Category Archives: Pre-war churches

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Wilmette

A most imposing edifice, towering over the suburban houses and 2-story commercial buildings around it, stands at Lake and Ridge in western Wilmette. St. Joseph Church is that rarest of beasts, a church constructed during the lean years of the … Continue reading

Posted in Art Deco, Pre-war churches | 2 Comments

A church on the verge

This is St. Boniface Catholic Church, in the Pulaski Park neighborhood on the near west side, at Chestnut & Noble Streets. Closed since 1990, this imposing 1902 building made it onto 1999′s Landmarks Illinois Most Endangered list for the whole … Continue reading

Posted in Pre-war churches | 1 Comment

Suburban in their day

The great Chicago Fire of 1871 was a watershed moment for the city. Beyond obliterating much of the city and triggering an architectural golden era, it also resulted in the city requiring brick construction within its limits. Thousands of brick … Continue reading

Posted in Pre-war churches | 2 Comments