Table Grove Community Church
Also known as: Universalist Church
Why it's listed
Standing in a grove of oaks and hickories at the corner of North Broadway and West Liberty Streets, this frame church in Table Grove was built in 1869 by a Universalist congregation. It has clapboard siding, a sandstone block foundation and a 66-foot bell tower with four pinnacles and a spire. A broken pediment and corner pilasters recall Greek Revival design, while arched windows reflect Italianate influence. A 1934 addition lengthened the building to 85 feet, and a basement was excavated in 1934 and 1952. The church's importance rests largely on its first pastor, the Rev. John Hughes, a widely known Universalist preacher who later served in the Illinois legislature. His wife, the Rev. Kate Hughes, was ordained in 1895 and led the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association. In 1931 the Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian and Universalist congregations merged here as the Table Grove Community Church. The building continues as a house of worship and meeting place.
Significance in brief: The church is tied to the Rev. John Hughes, its first pastor and a prominent Universalist minister and Illinois legislator, and to his wife the Rev. Kate Hughes, a suffrage leader. It later became the Table Grove Community Church through a 1931 merger of three congregations. The nomination presents it as a long-running site of religious and community life.
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 79003783, listed February 9, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Broadway and W. Liberty Sts., Table Grove |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | February 9, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003783 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1868-9 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Combination of Greek Revival and Italianate elements, with a bell tower topped by pinnacles and a spire |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a church and community gathering place; the exterior is maintained much as originally built, with changes made in 1934, 1952 and 1960. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.36698, -90.42541 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 79003783.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7673134
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.