United Methodist Church of Batavia
Encyclopedia
The United Methodist Church of Batavia is a historical church in Batavia
, Illinois
. Funds for the church were donated by Rev. E. H. Gammon and Cpt. Don Carlos Newton in 1887 to replace the First Methodist Church of Batavia
. It was designed by famed local architect Solon Spencer Beman
in the Romanesque Revival style. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1983.
served the Methodist
congregation in Batavia
, Illinois
from 1852 to 1887. The first minister of that church, Rev. E. H. Gammon, later entered the agricultural machinery business and became wealthy. He and industrialist Cpt. Don Carlos Newton donated a large sum of money to erect a new Methodist church in Batavia. Newton had recently visited southern France
and was intrigued by the local French Romanesque Revival style. He recommended this style to prominent local architect Solon Spencer Beman
, who was commissioned to design the building.
The exterior of the building was primarily constructed with local boulders, mostly from I. S. Stephens' Mill Creek Farm--Stephens also worked as the building's contractor. Limestone
details were carefully crafted to provide contrast to the more erratic pattern of the boulders. The church is 106 by with a square nave
featuring a barrel vault
ceiling. The nave has thirteen rows of red oak pews in three segments. The tower rises 52 feet (15.8 m) from the ground with a pyramidal roof. Palladian archways on the north and south ends of the tower flank the bells.
The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on July 28, 1983. A three-story building was added as an extension in 1991. Services are still held in the church, which also organizes services in Herget Middle School in Aurora
.
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Funds for the church were donated by Rev. E. H. Gammon and Cpt. Don Carlos Newton in 1887 to replace the First Methodist Church of Batavia
First Methodist Church of Batavia
The First Methodist Church of Batavia is a historic building in Batavia, Illinois. It functioned as a Methodist church until the 1880s. The building was then converted into the McWayne School Annex, which held classes until 1978. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in...
. It was designed by famed local architect Solon Spencer Beman
Solon Spencer Beman
Solon Spencer Beman was an American architect who was based in Chicago, best known as the architect of the planned Pullman community and adjacent Pullman Company factory complex. Several of his other largest commissions, including the Pullman Office Building, Pabst Building, and Grand Central...
in the Romanesque Revival style. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1983.
History
The First Methodist Church of BataviaFirst Methodist Church of Batavia
The First Methodist Church of Batavia is a historic building in Batavia, Illinois. It functioned as a Methodist church until the 1880s. The building was then converted into the McWayne School Annex, which held classes until 1978. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in...
served the Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
congregation in Batavia
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
from 1852 to 1887. The first minister of that church, Rev. E. H. Gammon, later entered the agricultural machinery business and became wealthy. He and industrialist Cpt. Don Carlos Newton donated a large sum of money to erect a new Methodist church in Batavia. Newton had recently visited southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was intrigued by the local French Romanesque Revival style. He recommended this style to prominent local architect Solon Spencer Beman
Solon Spencer Beman
Solon Spencer Beman was an American architect who was based in Chicago, best known as the architect of the planned Pullman community and adjacent Pullman Company factory complex. Several of his other largest commissions, including the Pullman Office Building, Pabst Building, and Grand Central...
, who was commissioned to design the building.
The exterior of the building was primarily constructed with local boulders, mostly from I. S. Stephens' Mill Creek Farm--Stephens also worked as the building's contractor. Limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
details were carefully crafted to provide contrast to the more erratic pattern of the boulders. The church is 106 by with a square nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
featuring a barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
ceiling. The nave has thirteen rows of red oak pews in three segments. The tower rises 52 feet (15.8 m) from the ground with a pyramidal roof. Palladian archways on the north and south ends of the tower flank the bells.
The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on July 28, 1983. A three-story building was added as an extension in 1991. Services are still held in the church, which also organizes services in Herget Middle School in Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
.