Stepping back in time to 1871, we find a small group of twenty people in Highland Park, Illinois. They were the Highland Park Religious Association. This diverse group, representing various denominations, gathered to establish a church for their community. Their decision? To found the Highlands Presbyterian Church. Formally organized on June 2, 1871, the Highlands Presbyterian Church began with thirty-three charter members. Their first meetings took place in Central Hall, now the site of Highland Park State Bank. By 1874, the congregation dedicated their first church building. This structure eventually gave way to the present “modern gothic” building in 1911. This beautiful building, complete with a 1,754-pipe organ, cost $100,000. The Highlands Presbyterian Church continued to grow. A manse was added in 1900, with expansions in 1918 and 1923. In 1961, a chapel seating 110, along with a parlor and educational rooms, was dedicated. More recently, in 2004, a Rogers/Rufatti hybrid organ with 30 ranks of pipes and electronic components was installed. The Highlands Presbyterian Church has a rich history. By its 75th anniversary in 1946, membership had reached 1200. By 1996, it stood at 400. Among its notable members was Elisha Gray, a 19th-century electrical inventor and competitor of Alexander Graham Bell. Gray even demonstrated his telephone invention at the Highlands Presbyterian Church in 1874. Another notable member was Jim Tilmon, the fifth African American US airline pilot, a meteorologist, and an aviation expert for WMAQ-TV in Chicago. He also appeared nationally on NBC news programs. The Highlands Presbyterian Church stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith and community.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to