Baháʼí House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois

When we were in Chicago last June, we took a day getaway to Evanston, and from there we made a quick trip to Wilmette to visit the Baháʼí House of Worship.

It was a place I’d wanted to visit on my previous trips to Chicago but hadn’t had time for; this time, however, the long summer days were perfect for exploring this area north of Chicago.

We took the Pink Line of the L from Evanston to Wilmette. Then we walked a short distance through residential streets lined with large houses like this one.

Since we had spent most of the day in Evanston, the visitor center was already closed by the time we arrived at the temple, but we were still able to visit the gardens and the exterior of the temple.

Baháʼí House of Worship in Wilmette is the oldest House of Worship in existence today and the only one in the United States.

From what I was able to find out, the cornerstone of the temple was laid in 1912, but it wasn't until 1953 that the temple was completed.

The temple was designed by a Canadian architect of French origin named Louis Bourgeois.

The building is very striking and is situated in a beautiful setting.

The gardens are beautiful, and although we didn't have time to explore them, we were able to enjoy some lovely views of them as we climbed the temple's outer steps.

At one point, we could even see the shore of the Wilmette Harbor, which faces Lake Michigan running along the edge of part of the gardens.

I was able to catch a glimpse of the interior through its long glass doors, but the truth is that what’s truly impressive about the temple are its exterior details.

This temple is open to people of any faith or religion who are looking for a place to pray, not just those who follow the Bahá’í faith.

After a short visit, it was time to head back, as we still had a few stops we wanted to make in Evanston before returning to Chicago, so we walked back to the Pink Line subway station to head back to Evanston. And along the way, we came across several cute wild bunnies like the one in the photo.

It was a short visit, and although the site is a bit out of the way, it’s definitely worth it if you’re visiting the Evanston area north of Chicago.

Thank you for reading.