Cahokia Heights in St. Clair County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Church of the Holy Family
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 1, 2019
1. Church of the Holy Family Marker
A.D. 1799.
This tablet marks the oldest church west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Catholic Daughters of America,
May 30th, A.D. 1924
Erected 1924 by Catholic Daughters of America.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. A significant historical year for this entry is 1799.
Location. 38° 34.221′ N, 90° 11.283′ W. Marker is in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, in St. Clair County. Marker is on East 1st Street just east of Church Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is posted on the front of the building, to the left of the entrance door. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 116 Church Street, East Saint Louis IL 62206, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. French-Colonial Home Site Of Jean Baptiste Hamelin (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Bowman (within shouting distance of this marker); Cahokia - The Birthplace of the Midwest (within shouting distance of this marker); This Stretch of Road (within shouting distance of this marker); The Grand Plan (within shouting distance of this marker); Jarrot Mansion
this page online
Regarding Church of the Holy Family. As the marker states, the Church of the Holy Family is the oldest church west of the Allegheny Mountains, as it was built, beginning in 1786 and completed in 1799. The occupying congregation is the oldest continuously active Catholic Parish in the United States, as services are still regularly held at the building. The congregation was started by Canadian missionaries in 1699. The Church of the Holy Family campus consists, in addition to the 1799 building, a modern 20th-century sanctuary next door, a parish house as well as a small cemetery in the back. Today, the 1799 structure continues to be one of the oldest buildings in Illinois.
Also see . . . Cahokia Church of the Holy Family website. (Submitted on October 5, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 1, 2019
2. Church of the Holy Family
The 1799 structure, with the marker to the left by the doors
Credits. This page was last revised on August 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 5, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 201 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 5, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
