Landmarks Illinois: Bishop Hill Colony Church in dire need of restoration
Anyone who has spent time at Bishop Hill in recent years likely has noticed the need for restoration.
Landmarks Illinois, a nonprofit that helps support historic preservation across the state of Illinois. placed the Bishop Hill Colony Church along with nine other sites across the state on its 2024 list of Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois, which was released May 7.
The sites include historic homes, banks, places of worship, factories, theaters, office buildings, schools, courthouses and cultural centers.
Bishop Hill in Henry County near Kewanee is one of the earliest Swedish settlements in the United States. It is both a National Historic Landmark and an Illinois State Historic Site.
Colony Church, built in 1848, is one of the settlement's original buildings, and, according to Bonnie McDonald, president and CEO of Landmarks Illinois, is in the worst shape of the remaining four buildings.
The church is in dire need of a new roof, siding and painting. The wood is rotting. The gutters are failing, and the foundation needs repair.
“Bishop Hill was started as a communal religious colony in 1846. The Colony Church was, and still is, the heart and soul of this community," McDonald said, quoting Todd DeDecker, administrator of the Bishop Hill Heritage Association. "It is the most historically significant building in the village. It’s continued preservation is vital to preserving the history and the legacy of the Bishop Hill colony.”
Illinois State Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, and State Rep. Travis Weaver, R-Edwards, have urged state lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker to set aside funds for critical repairs, and, with Tuesday's announcement, Landmarks Illinois also is urging the state to provide the Illinois Department of Natural Resources with the money and resources to make the repairs and properly manage sites like Bishop Hill.
More: Illinois lawmakers call for additional funding for historic site near Galesburg
McDonald suggested residents contact the department of natural resources to voice support for preserving state-owned historic properties. Those who are in support of preservation of such sites should also contact state legislators to prioritize funding in the budget.
The annual Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois list is Landmarks Illinois’ largest and longest-running advocacy program. Launched in 1995, the annual list aims to boost advocacy efforts and build support for each property’s eventual preservation.
This year's list includes Bishop Hill’s Colony Church, Buel House (Golconda), Shawneetown Bank (Old Shawneetown), Libby, McNeill and Libby Building (Blue Island), Portage Theater (Chicago), Sears Administration Building (Chicago), former Collinsville Township High School (Collinsville), former Lincoln High School (East St. Louis), Decatur Masonic Lodge (Decatur) and Johnson County Courthouse (Vienna).
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Colony Church at Bishop Hill highlighted by state advocacy group
