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Saturday, September 30, 2023
AwardsSesquicentennial Houses of Worship Award

Sesquicentennial Houses of Worship Award

Illinois State Historical Society   |   Strawbridge-Shepherd House   |   PO Box 1800   |   Springfield, IL 62705-1800

ISHS SESQUICENTENNIAL HOUSE OF WORSHIP AWARD

Since 2010, the Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS) has recognized Illinois houses of worship that have served their congregations continuously for 150 years or more. 

The ISHS Sesquicentennial House of Worship Awards Committee invites potential sesquicentennial houses of worship to complete an application and return it, along with appropriate documentation and a non-refundable payment of $50 (administrative fee), to the ISHS. The administrative fee supports the work of the ISHS, a private not-for-profit organization that receives no tax dollars from state government bodies. 

Each recognized house of worship will receive a certificate from the Illinois State Historical Society recognizing its sesquicentennial anniversary and have its history recorded at the Society as well as at the Illinois State Library for the use of future researchers. Recognized houses of worship will be honored at a special luncheon.

We look forward to recognizing your house of worship as part of our state’s history.

Deadline for application submission is June 30, 2023. Recognized houses of worship will be honored at a special luncheon at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield on September 23, 2023.

Please share this with any congregations you think might be eligible! If you have questions, please call us at 217-525-2781 or contact us at officemanager@historyillinois.org.

Download application
Download Sesquicentennial House of Worship Letter

Details for the 2023 Luncheon can be found here. 

Sesquicentennial House of Worship Award

Pay your Sesquicentennial House of Worship Award fee online.

$50.00 Payment


Previous Recipients

The grid below can be sorted by clicking on any of the column headings. Additionally, you can search the records by typing into the search box below. The search on the box below will search across all of the fields (business name, city, county and year)

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Name City County Year Established
Ashmore United Presbyterian Church Ashmore Coles 1841
Atkinson Congregational Church Atkinson Henry 1863
Augustana Lutheran Church Andover Henry 1850
Bankston Fork Missionary Baptist Church Harrisburg Saline 1854
Barney's Prairie Christian Church Noble Richland 1819
Barney’s Prairie Christian Church Mount Carmel Wabash 1816
Barrington United Methodist Church Barrington Cook 1840
Berea Christian Church Ashland Cass 1852
Berean Baptist Church Bunker Hill Macoupin 1841
Berlin Christian Church New Berlin Sangamon 1824
Bethel Church Griggsville Pike 1822
Bethlehem United Church of Christ of Sutter Warsaw Hancock 1857
Boyd's Grove United Methodist Church Henry Marshall 1851
Bridgeport First United Methodist Church Brideport Lawrence 1861
Bushnell United Methodist Church Bushnell McDonough 1856
Camden United Methodist Church Camden Schuyler 1855
Capron Lutheran Church Capron Adams 1844
Carlock Christian Church Carlock McLean 1836
Catholic Church of St. Mark's Winchester Scott 1860
Centenary United Methodist Church Effingham Effingham 1835
Centenary United Methodist Church Jacksonville Morgan 1821
Central Baptist Church of Springfield Springfield Sangamon 1830
Central Christian Church of Decatur Decatur Macon 1834
Clarksville Baptist Church Marshall Clark 1857
Community United Church of Christ Morton Tazewell 1832
Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church Geneseo Adams 1864
Concordia United Church of Christ Belleville Adams 1845
Congregation Anshai Emeth Peoria Peoria 1859
Congregation B'nai Sholom Quincy Adams 1864
Congregation Beth Hamdrosh Hagodol Kesser Maravi Ansh Linkink Skokie Cook 1867
Congregation of Central Presbyterian Church New Lenox Will 1844
Congregational Church of Jefferson Park Chicago Cook 1861
Court Street United Methodist Church Rockford Winnebago 1852
Dutch Ridge Missionary Baptist Church Carbondale Jackson 1848
Earlville United Methodist Church Earlville LaSalle 1842
Ebenezer United Methodist Church Samsville Edwards 1849
Eden Church of Edwardsville Wood River Madison 1868
Edgington Presbyterian Church Taylor Ridge Rock Island 1837
Elvaston Presbyterian Church Elvaston Hancock 1858
Eureka Christian Church Eureka Woodford 1832
Fairview Reformed Church Fairview Fulton 1837
Faith Lutheran Church Forreston Ogle 1859
Farmingdale Presbyterian Church Pleasant Plains Sangamon 1834
First Baptist Church Fairview Heights St Clair 1850
First Baptist Church Winchester Scott 1825
First Baptist Church of Bloomington Bloomington McLean 1837
First Baptist Church of Edwardsville Edwardsville Madison 1828
First Baptist Church of Peoria Peoria Peoria 1836
First Christian Church Albion Edwards 1840
First Christian Church Bloomington McLean 1837
First Christian Church Centralia Marion 1856
First Christian Church Lawrenceville Lawrence 1833
First Christian Church Mount Carmel Wabash 1862
First Christian Church Peoria Peoria 1845
First Congregational Church Crystal Lake McHenry 1842
First Congregational Church Elgin Cook 1836
First Congregational Church Huntley McHenry 1852
First Congregational Church Moline Rock Island 1844
First Congregational Church Peru LaSalle 1837
First Congregational Church Rockton Winnebago 1838
First Congregational Church of Bunker Hill Bunker Hill Macoupin 1842
First Congregational Church of Kewanee Kewanee Henry 1838
First Congregational Church of Neponset Neponset Bureau 1855
First Congregational Church of Toulon Toulon Stark 1846
First Congregational United Church of Christ Dwight Livingston 1866
First Congregational United Church of Christ Naperville DuPage 1833
First Congregational United Church of Christ Sterling Whiteside 1857
First Evangelical Presbyterian Church Anna Union 1866
First Federated Church of Peoria Peoria Peoria 1834
First Lutheran Church Geneseo Henry 1856
First Methodist Episcopal Church of Chicago Chicago Cook 1831
First Presbyterian Church Charleston Coles 1835
First Presbyterian Church Decatur Macon 1852
First Presbyterian Church Dixon Lee 1853
First Presbyterian Church Galena Jo Daviess 1831
First Presbyterian Church Jacksonville Morgan 1827
First Presbyterian Church Lincoln Logan 1857
First Presbyterian Church Macomb McDonough 1832
First Presbyterian Church Omaha Gallatin 1826
First Presbyterian Church Piper City Ford 1862
First Presbyterian Church Springfield Sangamon 1828
First Presbyterian Church Harvard McHenry 1868
First Presbyterian Church of Carbondale Carbondale Jackson 1854
First Presbyterian Church of Chicago Chicago Cook 1833
First Presbyterian Church of Evanston Evanston Cook 1868
First Presbyterian Church of Green Valley Green Valley Tazewell 1832
First Presbyterian Church of Homewood Homewood Cook 1858
First Presbyterian Church of Lewistown Canton Fulton 1836
First United Methodist Church Chester Randolph 1835
First United Methodist Church Morrisonville Christian 1857
First United Methodist Church Palatine Cook 1835
First United Methodist Church Springfield Sangamon 1821
First United Methodist Church Sterling Whiteside 1838
First United Methodist Church Taylorville Christian 1854
First United Methodist Church Morris Grundy 1842
First United Methodist Church Wilmington Will 1840
First United Methodist Church of Champaign Champaign Champaign 1853
First United Methodist Church of Elgin Elgin Cook 1836
First United Methodist Church of Normal Normal McLean 1865
First United Methodist Church of Urbana Urbana Champaign 1835
First United Presbyterian Church Centralia Marion 1856
First United Presbyterian Church Polo Ogle 1848
First United Presbyterian Church Virden Macoupin 1854
Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago Chicago Cook 1849
Frankfort United Methodist Church Frankfort Will 1853
Galesburg First United Methodist Church Galesburg Knox 1847
Garden Plain Presbyterian Church Fulton Whiteside 1850
Gary Memorial United Methodist Church Wheaton DuPage 1853
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Springfield Sangamon 1841
Harding United Methodist Church Earlville LaSalle 1838
Havana First United Methodist Church Havana Mason 1838
Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church East Carondelet St Clair 1841
Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Wartburg Waterloo Monroe 1841
Holy Family Parish Chicago Cook 1857
Holy Family Roman Catholic Congregation Danville Vermillion 1858
Holy Trinity Church Bloomington McLean 1853
Homer United Methodist Church Homer Champaign 1839
Houston United Methodist Church Rushville Schuyler 1864
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Columbia Monroe 1846
Immaculate Conception Church Pittsfield Pike 1852
Immanuel Lutheran Church Hinckley DeKalb 1865
Immanuel Lutheran Church Mokena Will 1850
Indian Point Presbyterian Church Athens Menard 1832
Indianola Comm. United Methodist Church Indianola Vermillion 1826
Ivanhoe Congregational Church Mundelein Lake 1838
Jacksonville Asbury United Methodist Church Jacksonville Morgan 1830
Jefferson Prairie Lutheran Church Poplar Grove Boone 1844
Jonathan Creek Christian Church Sullivan Moultrie 1837
KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation Chicago Cook 1847
Lacon Congregational United Church of Christ Lacon Marshall 1837
Lake Fork United Church of Christ Atwood Piatt 1842
Lanark United Methodist Church Lanark Carroll 1858
Lane Christian Church Lane DeWitt 1850
Little Grove Christian Church Walnut Hill Marion 1838
Lovington United Methodist Church Lovington Moultrie 1845
Lyonsville Congregational United Church of Christ Indian Head Park Cook 1843
Mackinaw Christian Church Mackinaw Tazewell 1834
Main Baptist Church Aurora Kane 1867
Malta United Methodist Church Malta DeKalb 1832
Marion Christian Church West Salem Edwards 1845
Mechanicsburg Christian Church Mechanicsburg Sangamon 1842
Modesto Baptist Church Auburn Sangamon 1829
Mount Carroll United Methodist Church Mount Carroll Carroll 1847
Mount Moriah Lutheran Church Anna Union 1869
Mt. Olive Baptist Church Virginia Cass 1859
Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church Champaign Champaign 1841
New Hope Baptist Church Litchfield Montgomery 1866
New Lebanon Baptist Church Kilbourne Mason 1868
North Danvers Mennonite Danvers McLean 1851
North Grove Evangelical Church Forreston Ogle 1860
Oak Valley Free Will Baptist Church Geff Wayne 1854
Olive Branch Evangelical Lutheran Church Okawville Washington 1865
Park Presbyterian Church Streator LaSalle 1858
Peace United Church of Christ Jerseyville Jersey 1870
Peter Cartwright United Methodist Church Pleasant Plains Sangamon 1824
Pinckneyville First Baptist Church Pinckneyville Perry 1865
Pine Creek Christian Church Polo Ogle 1860
Pisgah Presbyterian Church Bridgeport Lawrence 1835
Prairie City First Presbyterian Church Prairie City McDonough 1841
Presbyterian Church of Fulton Fulton Whiteside 1856
Raritan Baptist Church Raritan Henderson 1858
Raritan Reformed Church Stronghurst Henderson 1855
Redeemer Episcopal Church Cairo Alexander 1840
Reno Bethel Presbyterian Church Donnellson Montgomery 1825
Rock Creek Presbyterian Church Tallula Menard 1822
Salem Baptist Church Alton Madison 1819
Salem United Church of Christ Alhambra Madison 1860
Sangamon Valley Presbyterian Church Rushville Schuyler 1848
Second Congregational United Church of Christ Rockford Winnebago 1849
Second Presbyterian Church Bloomington McLean 1855
Second Presbyterian Church Bloomington McLean 1855
Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago Chicago Cook 1842
Shiloh Baptist Church Villa Ridge Pulaski 1817
Shiloh Baptist Church of Bridgeport Bridgeport Lawrence 1839
SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church Alton Madison 1855
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Edwardsville Madison 1841
St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church Murphysboro Jackson 1868
St. Anthony of Padua Effingham Effingham 1858
St. Boniface Catholic Church Germantown Clinton 1834
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Jerseyville Jersey 1857
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church St. Francisville Lawrence 1818
St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church Forreston Ogle 1850
St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church Darien DuPage 1859
St. John United Church of Christ Mascoutah St Clair 1843
St. John United Church of Christ Palatine Cook 1846
St. John United Church of Christ Freeport Stephenson 1848
St. John United Church of Christ Naperville DuPage 1857
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Springfield Sangamon 1870
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Flossmoor Cook 1849
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Somonauk Somonauk DeKalb 1860
St. John's Lutheran Church Mendota LaSalle 1858
St. John's United Church of Christ Mokena Will 1843
St. John's United Church of Christ of Johannesburg Maryville Madison 1837
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Kilbourne Mason 1845
St. Joseph Catholic Church Peoria Peoria 1855
St. Joseph Church Wilmette Cook 1843
St. Malachy Catholic Church and School Geneseo Henry 1866
St. Mary Help of Christians Effingham Effingham 1860
St. Mary's Church Edwardsville Madison 1842
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Conception Bloomington McLean 1867
St. Matthew Lutheran Church Brussels Calhoun 1861
St. Patrick Catholic Church McHenry McHenry 1840
St. Patrick Catholic Church Tolono Champaign 1859
St. Patrick Catholic Church of Rochelle Rochelle Ogle 1856
St. Patrick Church Pana Christian 1858
St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Springfield Sangamon 1843
St. Paul Community Church Homewood Cook 1865
St. Paul United Church of Christ Belleville St. Clair 1839
St. Paul United Church of Christ Lebanon St. Clair 1868
St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Neoga Cumberland 1870
St. Paul's United Church of Christ Chicago Cook 1858
St. Paul’s United Church of Christ Monee Will 1858
St. Peter Catholic Church Quincy Adams 1839
St. Peter Lutheran Church Benson Woodford 1858
St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church Joliet Will 1857
St. Peter's United Church of Christ Frankfort Will 1867
Sugar Tree Grove Presbyterian Church Monmouth Warren 1830
Sumner Congregational Christian Church Sumner Lawrence 1860
Sycamore United Methodist Church Sycamore DeKalb 1836
Temple Brith Sholom Springfield Sangamon 1867
Temple Sholom of Chicago Chicago Cook 1867
Ten Mile Missionary Baptist Church McLeansboro Hamilton 1820
Tinley Park United Methodist Tinley Park Cook 1858
Trinity Church Rock Island Rock Island 1853
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Springfield Sangamon 1841
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Churh Mount Morris Ogle 1846
Trinity Lutheran Church Red Bud Randolph 1842
Trinity Lutheran Church Shumway Effingham 1864
Trinity Lutheran Church Tinley Park Cook 1859
Trinity United Methodist Church Chicago Cook 1858
Union Church of Hinsdale Hinsdale Cook 1866
Unitarian Universalist Church Bloomington McLean 1859
United Methodist Church of Murphysboro Murphysboro Jackson 1825
United Methodist Church of New Lenox New Lenox Will 1835
United Presbyterian Church of Peoria Peoria Peoria 1834
Vermilion United Methodist Church Vermilion Edgar 1865
Village Cumberland Presbyterian Church Norris City White 1819
Wabash Presbyterian Church Allendale Wabash 1822
Waltham Presbyterian Church Utica LaSalle 1849
Wapella Christian Church Wapella DeWitt 1867
Ward Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Peoria Adams 1846
Washington Presbyterian Church Washington Tazewell 1834
Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church Bloomington McLean 1843
Wesley United Methodist Church Charleston Coles 1835
Wesley United Methodist Church Sterling Whiteside 1867
Wesley United Methodist Church Aurora Kane 1858
West Twin Grove Christian Church Bloomington McLean 1841
Westminster Presbyterian Church Springfield Sangamon 1835
Westminster United Presbyterian Church Galena Jo Daviess 1846
Wheatland Presbyterian Church Plainfield Will 1848
White House Christian Church Lawrenceville Lawrence 1843
Williamsville United Methodist Church Williamsville Sangamon 1857
Woodland Church Fairmont Township Pike 1867
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Bonfield Kankakee 1859
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Ottawa LaSalle 1860
Zion Missionary Baptist Church Springfield Sangamon 1838
Zion United Methodist Church Lawrenceville Lawrence 1836
Zion United Methodist Church Hampshire Kane 1845

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