St. Mary's Church of Gilberts
Why it's listed
Built in 1882 at the corner of Matteson Street and Galligan Road in Gilberts, this small wood-frame church is a rural example of the Stick style. Local carpenter Oliver Kelly built it for $2,800, reusing some lumber from an 1855 church that previously occupied the site. The steep gable roof, wide eaves, king's post truss, curved entrance braces and pointed-arch stained glass windows reflect Gothic Revival influence. Its wood siding is laid vertically, horizontally, diagonally and in fan patterns, a variety the nomination says no other church in rural Kane County matches. The church also has no steeple, which is unusual for a high-style church in the county. Changes have been modest: a tornado-damaged chimney was removed in the 1940s, a concrete basement hall was added in 1955, and the rose windows were restored in 1989-1990. It was listed for its architecture, as a small but elegant reminder of Gilberts's growth in the 1880s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is an excellent example of a rural Stick style religious building and meets Criterion C. It is described as one of the best rural Kane County examples, with varied wood siding patterns and no steeple. It qualifies despite its religious ownership because its significance is architectural.
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 92001018, listed August 18, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10 Matteson St., Gilberts |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | August 18, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001018 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1882 |
| Architect / builder | Kelly, Oliver |
| Architectural style | Stick |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility; rose windows restored in 1989-1990, and the building has good integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10633, -88.37498 (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 92001018.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7590223
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.