Church of the Holy Family
Why it's listed
Holy Family Church in Cahokia, Illinois, is a French Colonial church built of upright logs between 1786 and 1799. It replaced an earlier mission church that had disappeared by the time a priest arrived from Baltimore in 1786. Its walls use heavy hewn black walnut timbers set about a foot apart on stone-founded sills, with rubble stone set in clay filling the gaps. The roof trusses are of white oak and black walnut, pinned with wooden pegs. Two small wings were added about 1833, giving a cruciform plan, and siding was applied in the 1890s. The building served as a parish school and hall after a stone church replaced it in 1891. Restoration in 1949-51 raised the structure, repaired the foundations, removed the siding, replaced a few decayed logs and re-covered the roof with wood shingles. The nomination values it as a rare surviving example of a once common building type. It remains in use for services and is open to visitors.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the finest extant example in the United States of a typical French Colonial church of upright log construction. It is little altered and represents a once common building type. Its poteaux sur sole walls and pierrotage infill are intact.
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 70000851, listed April 15, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E. 1st St., Cahokia |
|---|---|
| County | St. Clair County |
| Listed | April 15, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000851 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Restoration of 1949-51 supervised by Architect Guy Study; original builder not named |
| Architectural style | French Colonial (upright log, poteaux sur sole construction) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated April 15, 1970 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Maintained in excellent condition, open to visitors, and used for Sunday services; restored 1949-51. |
| Acreage | 3.6 |
| Coordinates | 38.56991, -90.18831 (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 70000851.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5117898
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.