Prairie Dell Meetinghouse
Also known as: Prairie Dell Church
Why it's listed
Prairie Dell Meetinghouse is a one-story frame church built in 1870 at a rural crossroads west of Iroquois, Illinois. Local farmers constructed it, using glacial boulders for the foundation and black walnut sawn nearby for the pews and window trim. The clapboard building has a front-gabled form, a belfry on the ridge, and a recessed porch with Doric columns and pedimented doors, details drawn from the Greek Revival style. Tall, narrow paired windows with hoods reflect Italianate influence. Inside are pressed-metal walls and ceiling, cast-iron stoves, and pews seating about 150. Behind the church are a cemetery with roughly 2,000 markers and two privies. Founded in part by Quakers, the church was kept as a community property and used in turn by several denominations, never owned by any of them. It is considered the oldest known church in the area, and its original character remains largely intact, which is why it was recognized for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The meetinghouse is argued to be a good local example of a vernacular rural meetinghouse combining Greek Revival and Italianate details, and it is the oldest known church in the area. Similar nearby churches have lost integrity through alterations. It was built by local farmers and kept as a community church, with Quaker influence evident in its design and furnishings.
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 05000846, listed August 12, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of 2550 East and 2150 North Rd., Iroquois |
|---|---|
| County | Iroquois County |
| Listed | August 12, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000846 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1870 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown; built by local farmers |
| Architectural style | Other: Meetinghouse (vernacular with Greek Revival and Italianate details) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility, and the cemetery is still in use; it has had little alteration since 1870, apart from a new roof in 2002. |
| Acreage | 9.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.82838, -87.64539 (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 05000846.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20709606
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.