Benjaminville Friends Meetinghouse and Burial Ground
Why it's listed
Built in 1874 north of Holder, Illinois, this balloon-framed, gable-roofed meetinghouse measures 42 by 32 feet and sits on two acres of prairie surrounded by cropland. Weatherboard siding, plain white trim, two doors on the long south wall and a waist-high interior partition reflect traditional Quaker design. Hand graining on the pews, partition and woodwork is the main decoration. A small privy and storage shed was added around 1910, and the porch received a concrete floor. The adjoining burial ground is divided into Quaker, non-Quaker and mixed sections. The site matters for both architecture and local history. Three Quaker families settled the treeless prairie in 1856, and a first meetinghouse was built in 1859. The present building served as the social, political and religious center of the community. The railroad bypassed the hamlet of Benjaminville, and the meetinghouse and burial ground are now the only visible reminders of that Quaker settlement.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent, well-preserved example of traditional Quaker meetinghouse architecture, with a plain exterior, separate doors, an interior partition and an adjoining burial ground. It also served as the social, political and religious center of the Benjaminville Quaker settlement and is the only surviving structure of that hamlet.
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 83003584, listed December 13, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Holder, Holder |
|---|---|
| County | McLean County |
| Listed | December 13, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003584 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Traditional Quaker meetinghouse architecture |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition and largely original; the building is no longer owned by a religious organization, and occasional services are still held there. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.47652, -88.80594 (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 83003584.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4889466
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.