Chicago Illinois Temple Pictures
Set on a wooded 13-acre site in the Chicago suburb of Glenview, buffered by an 80-acre nature sanctuary, the Chicago Temple was the first temple built in the Midwest in nearly 140 years — since the original Nauvoo Temple was destroyed by fire and tornado in the 1840s. Announced by President Spencer W. Kimball on April 1, 1981, as part of a historic nine-temple announcement, it was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley on August 9, 1985, who reflected in the dedicatory prayer on the Nauvoo Saints who had completed and dedicated their own temple even knowing they would soon be driven from it. Our collection of Chicago Illinois Temple pictures, art prints, and paintings captures this meaningful return of temple worship to Illinois soil.
Glory To The Highest
by Rory Wallwork
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Summer Peace
by Rory Wallwork
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Summer Serenity
by Daniel Hopkins
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Fountain
by Alan Fullmer
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Evening Reflections
by Rory Wallwork
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For Eternity
by Rory Wallwork
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Summer Morning
by Rory Wallwork
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Flora Watercolor Painting
by Katauna Davis
About the Chicago Illinois Temple
Finding a site for the Chicago Temple proved no small task: it took nearly two years to identify suitable property and another two years to secure government approval amid opposition from groups concerned about the visual effect a temple might have on the surrounding area. Church leaders eventually settled on a wooded 13-acre parcel in Glenview, buffered by an 80-acre nature sanctuary that continues to provide privacy and tranquility today. President Gordon B. Hinckley, then an apostle, presided over the groundbreaking on August 13, 1983, calling it "a day of history" and promising the community that "what we do here will be beautiful and will enhance rather than diminish the charm of this lovely area." In a touching gesture during construction, young women of the St. Paul Minnesota Stake handmade a dozen dolls for the temple's nursery, each one named after the girl who made it.
More than 100,000 visitors toured the temple during its public open house, held July 15 through August 3, 1985, and President Hinckley dedicated the Chicago Temple across 19 dedicatory sessions from August 9 through 13, 1985, becoming the Church's 35th operating temple. In his dedicatory prayer, he honored the Latter-day Saints of Nauvoo who, "knowing they soon would be banished, and with many of their number already gone, they yet chose to complete it and dedicate it" unto the Lord. Just three years later, the temple closed on September 3, 1988, for an extensive remodel that more than doubled its size, enclosing its rear central spire and original breezeways and adding significant underground space while preserving its original exterior appearance; Hinckley rededicated the expanded addition on October 8, 1989. On Christmas Eve of 2008, a frozen sprinkler pipe burst inside the temple, causing extensive water damage that an army of craftsmen — some traveling from as far as New Mexico — repaired within just two months. The Chicago Temple now serves members from 14 stakes across northern Illinois, Wisconsin, northern Indiana, and southwestern Michigan.
Chicago Temple Photos, Art & Prints
Framed by mature woods and the tranquil 80-acre nature sanctuary that surrounds its Glenview property, the Chicago Temple offers a peaceful, secluded setting rarely expected so close to a major American city. Its gray buff marble exterior and manicured grounds, complete with two water features open to the public, change beautifully through the four distinct seasons of the Upper Midwest. Our collection features photography and fine art capturing the Chicago Temple throughout the year in its quiet wooded setting.
Chicago Temple prints make a meaningful and inspirational gift for members throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan, and for anyone who values this historic return of temple worship to the Midwest. Perfect for weddings, mission homecomings, new homes, and other milestone occasions.