Wyanet in Bureau County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Wyanet Methodist Church Bell
Photographed by Matthew Stevens, September 6, 2026
1. Wyanet Methodist Church Bell Marker
A Church was erected on this lot in 1889. The Church was destroyed by fire on January 24, 1896 and was rebuilt in nine months. The original cornerstone of 1889 was kept in place.
The Bell was cast on April 10, 1894 by the Buckeye Bell Foundry in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bell weighs 517 lbs. and 30 inches in diameter at the cost of $103.89.
The Bell rang each Sunday and for special occasions for 123 years. The Bell and bell tower were removed on October 3, 2017, due to structural issues.
The Bell is placed here to remember and honor the people of the Wyanet Methodist Church
1894 2017
Erected 2017 by Wyanet Methodist Church.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Historic Bells series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 10, 1894.
Location. 41° 21.928′ N, 89° 35.09′ W. Marker is in Wyanet, Illinois, in Bureau County. It is on West Main Street (U.S. 6) west
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Illinois and specifically in the Illinois River Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Wyanet Soldier's Memorial (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Wyanet Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Hennepin Canal (approx. 1.1 miles away); Henry Thomas Family (approx. 3.7 miles away); 518 S. Main St. (approx. 6.2 miles away); Flags of Freedom (approx. 6.2 miles away); 609 S. Main St. (approx. 6.2 miles away); Richard L. “Dick” Nelson (approx. 6.2
Photographed by Matthew Stevens, September 6, 2026
2. Wyanet Methodist Church Bell
Another marker is no longer nearby. In Memory of Henry Thomas (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Also see . . .
1. Wyanet United Methodist Church Data. See this link from the United Methodist Church Online Directory & Statistics website about some statistics and info about the Wyanet United Methodist Church. (Submitted on September 8, 2026, by Matthew Stevens of Washington, Illinois.)
2. JSTOR Article - The First Ordained Congregational Woman Minister in the United States. See this Illinois State Historical Society journal article about Wyanet resident Mary L. Moreland, who was the first ordained Congregational woman minister in the United States. Written by Frances E. Willard and Ruth Ewers Haberkorn in September 1942.
Excerpt: "The first ordination of a woman minister in any Congregational church in the United States took place on July 19, 1889, in Wyanet, Illinois. Mary L. Moreland, supply preacher, yielded to the urging of a few farsighted church fathers, passed the grilling oral examination of an ordination(Submitted on September 8, 2026, by Matthew Stevens of Washington, Illinois.)committee, and brought this "first" honor to herself and to that small Bureau County town."Photographed by Matthew Stevens, September 6, 20263. Wyanet Methodist Church Bell & First Methodist Church
Photographed by Matthew Stevens, September 6, 2026
4. Original Church Cornerstone as Mentioned in the Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 7, 2026, by Matthew Stevens of Washington, Illinois. This page has been viewed 25 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 7, 2026, by Matthew Stevens of Washington, Illinois. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
