Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground
Why it's listed
Des Plaines Methodist Camp Ground is a thirty-five acre village in the woods on the eastern edge of Des Plaines, Illinois, about twenty miles northwest of downtown Chicago. Tabernacles, cottages and public buildings line narrow sidewalks and streets arranged around a central circle, where the Waldorf Tabernacle serves as the spiritual heart. Wesley Tabernacle, in the southern part, was used by Swedish-speaking members. Most of the 121 contributing buildings are white-painted, 1-1/2 story wood-frame cottages with gable roofs, built between 1865 and the 1920s using balloon-frame construction. They were built quickly and cheaply to house families or church groups during week-long summer meetings. The first Des Plaines camp meeting took place in 1860 near the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, which helped bring thousands of attendees. The site was moved and laid out in its present form in 1865 and has been used every summer since. Its plan and cottage type reflect the Methodist camp meeting tradition.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a surviving Methodist camp meeting village in continuous summer use since 1865. Its circular plan around the Waldorf Tabernacle, with radiating streets and densely set wooden cottages, reflects the camp meeting phenomenon. The first camp meeting here was held in 1860 near the railroad, which was crucial to its growth.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 05000429, listed May 22, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1250 Campground Rd., Des Plaines |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | May 22, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000429 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; Other: Camp Meeting Cottages |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In continuous summer use since 1865; cottages are used by owners roughly May through October and very few have been winterized. |
| Acreage | 35 |
| Coordinates | 42.03289, -87.88892 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 05000429.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16829470
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.