Images: #TBT Gallery looks back at suburban churches
A traditional Christian church's interior architecture may reflect the most iconic Christian symbol, the cross. A center isle meets the front edge of the pews, and the pulpit is at the cross of the intersecting lines. Viewed from straight above, it may look like a cross.
But churches come in all sizes and shapes to accommodate the collection of congregates that come to worship there. The traditional exterior usually includes a tall steeple with a cross at the top. Visitors are inspired to look heavenly when they approach. Some of those old-time features can still be seen in modern church structures. Some older, established congregations gather in towering new buildings that sit beside the original, small, wood-framed church buildings. In Chicago's Northwest suburbs, all types of church buildings are represented.
The Church of St. Peter, in Arlington Heights, was razed in 1959 to make room for a supermarket. The steeple is being pulled down by a bulldozer in this photo.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
Snow was piled in the form a cross for the ground breaking ceremonies for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights in 1958.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
This 1959 photo of St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Schaumburg shows the ornate spire as well as the tiny original wood framed school and religious services building beside it.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
This photo is of St. James Catholic Church in Arlington Heights, which was built in the 1860s.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The modern, skeleton framing of St. Peter Lutheran Church, under construction in Arlington Heights in 1960.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
Almost every seat is filled in the massive Willow Creek Church in South Barrington in 1984.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
St. Mary's Catholic Church, with it's landmark steeple, was built in 1899 in Buffalo Grove. An addition in 1978 made room for 1,000 parishioners at Sunday mass.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
This old church and steeple in Itasca was highlighted in a Daily Herald story about the disappearance of traditional churches in 1970.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Elk Grove Village was dedicated in 1963. In it's first three years, it grew from 35 parishioners to more than 300.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The modern, flowing architecture of Southminster Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights, built in the early 1960s.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The original St. Peter's Church in Lake Zurich was built in 1900. This photo was taken in 1923. The building now has a much more modern appeal.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
This is the original St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mount Prospect in 1913. The small, white building at right was their schoolhouse.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
St. Raymond's Church in Mt. Prospect was celebrating it's 25th anniversary when this picture was taken in 1974. Notice the huge statue of St. Raymond.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses was dedicated in 1961 in Palatine.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
This tall, ornate Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church building was constructed in Palatine in 1924.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
Because the building was not yet completed inside, the first services were held in the basement of the Trinity Lutheran Church in 1957 in Rolling Meadows.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The modern architecture creates patterns of shadows on the Meadows Baptist Church in Rolling Meadows in 1961.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The three-story Immaculate Convent stood on 103 acres when it was built in 1963 in Bartlett. It was a teaching, nursing and mission facility for Catholic nuns of the St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The new building for the Wheeling Community Presbyterian Church was finished in time for the Christmas services in 1962. It was only the second building in the 98-year-history of the church. This photo was taken in 1964.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
The St. Joseph Church and School was under construction in Wheeling in 1958. This photo looks east from the church to the school wing.
Photo from Daily Herald archives
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