Unity Temple
Church in Oak Park, Illinois. Added to the National Register in 1970, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
Unity Temple is a Unitarian Universalist church building that houses the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 875 Lake Street in Oak Park, Illinois, United States. The structure, designed by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the Prairie style, is cited as an early example of modern architecture. The building consists of an auditorium to the north and a church house called Unity House to the south. The two sections, and an entrance pavilion between them, are made of reinforced concrete.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 875 Lake St., Oak Park, IL |
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | Apr 17, 1970 |
| Listed for | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Unity Church |
| Reference number | 70000240 |
| Architect | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Type of place | church building |
| Style | modern architecture |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, America's Most Endangered Historic Places, part of UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 875 Lake St., Oak Park, IL |
| Coordinates | 41.8883° N, 87.7968° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Oak Park | 17 listed places in Oak Park → |
| Nearest national park unit | Pullman National Historical Park · 17 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | West Beach Picnic Shelters 35 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 4 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Cook County
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Local history books for Oak Park
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Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Illinois
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Unity Temple listed on the National Register?
Apr 17, 1970. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Who designed Unity Temple?
Frank Lloyd Wright, working in the modern architecture style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Unity Temple?
Yes. Unity Temple is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Unity Temple?
875 Lake St., Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois. The nearest national park unit is Pullman National Historical Park, 17 miles away.
Source: Pullman National Historical Park
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Unity Temple?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Unity Temple?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Unity Temple?
One federal campground is within reach, West Beach Picnic Shelters, 35 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Unity Temple?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 70000240. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.