Gold Coast in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
St. Chrysostom's Church
Photographed by Sean Flynn, March 6, 2024
1. St. Chrysostom's Church Marker
Bennett, Parsons & Frost
consulting architects
awarded
the Lake Shore Trust & Savings Bank's Gold Medal
for the most beautiful remodeled building
by the jury of the Chicago chapter,
American Institute of Architects
and the Illinois Society of Architects
1926
Erected 1926.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.
Location. 41° 54.506′ N, 87° 37.836′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Gold Coast. It is on North Dearborn Parkway north of Schiller Street. The marker is on the side of the church near an entrance at the edge of the courtyard to St. Chrysostom's Church, about 100 feet from the street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1424 North Dearborn Parkway, Chicago IL 60610, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Albert F. Madlener House (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Louise DeKoven Bowen (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wooden Alley (approx. 0.2 miles away); James Charnley House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Patterson-McCormick Mansion
this page online
Regarding St. Chrysostom's Church. In the mid-1920s, St. Chrysostom's remodeled three existing buildings along Dearborn and added a massive carillon90 feet high and featuring 42 bells. It was just the fifth carillon erected in America and the second in the Midwest. The carillon was a donation by Richard T. Crane Jr. in memory of his father, a Chicago manufacturing magnate. An article in the Chicago Tribune in April 1926 described the renovated church as "one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical structures in Chicago," and said that the cost of the renovation was about $500,000, which would be equal to about $9 million in 2024. A 1927 article about the award referenced on this plaque said that the jury's decision was unanimous.
Chester Wolcott was a Chicago-born, Princeton-educated architect whose offices, according to contemporary news accounts, were in the Tribune Tower, 1½ miles south of here. Wolcott's other notable works include the aquarium at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
Photographed by Sean Flynn, March 6, 2024
2. St. Chrysostom's Church: The Richard Teller Crane Carillon
The 90-foot carillon is still in use; according to the church it is still played before and after 10 a.m. services every Sunday and during weddings and funerals. The marker is just off camera at the bottom of the carillon.
Also see . . . Music at St. Chrysostom's. A history of the Crane Carillon is at the bottom of this page.
Excerpt: "Installed in 1927, the Richard Teller Crane Memorial Carillon is one of the oldest in the country and the second oldest in the Midwest. The 43 bells were cast and installed by the bell foundry Gillett and Johnston of England. Gillett and Johnston bells are known for their well-tuned, full tone, and these bells are no exception."(Submitted on March 7, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean Flynn, March 6, 2024
3. St. Chrysostom's Church
The marker is at the end of the walkway, on the right, attached to the carillon portion of the church.
Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Daily News collection, Chicago Historical Society, circa 1927
4. St. Chrysostom's Church (1927)
This historic photo from across the street shows the church soon after its remodeling, which included the addition of the carillon in the back. It was the fifth carillon to be built in America.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 7, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 387 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 7, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
