Holy Cross Church
Also known as: Eastside Community Center
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Why it's listed
Built in 1896-97 on the east side of Batavia, Illinois, Holy Cross Church is a Gothic Revival building of locally quarried limestone. Its 125-foot bell tower, pointed arches, buttresses, steep roof and ten-foot rose window give it a strongly vertical profile, and its stained glass windows remain intact. The church served a parish of Irish quarry workers and their families. Construction began in 1896, a year of national financial hardship. Parishioners donated materials and labor, and stonemason James William Shannon, who operated the family quarry five blocks away, donated the limestone. The finished church cost about $12,000 and was dedicated on June 15, 1897. It is recognized for its architecture and as a local example of stone construction. After its religious use ended, it was rededicated in 1996 as the assembly hall of the Eastside Community Center, run by the Batavia Park District. A 1959-60 school building is attached at the rear.
Significance in brief: The church is locally significant under architecture as a good example of Late Victorian Gothic Revival design, with a 125-foot tower, pointed arches, buttresses, a steep roof and a rose window. It also shows locally quarried limestone construction, built largely with donated stone and parishioner labor during a national depression.
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 99000587, listed May 20, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 14 N. Van Buren St., Batavia |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | May 20, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000587 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896-97 |
| Architect / builder | Shannon, James William / stonemason |
| Architectural style | Gothic (Late Victorian Gothic Revival) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as the assembly hall of the Eastside Community Center for the Batavia Park District; rededicated April 27, 1996. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.85022, -88.30273 (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 99000587.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5330929
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.