Lake View Presbyterian Church
Chicago
The location of this church at Addison and Broadway was outside the Chicago city limits at the time of its completion in 1888. This allowed architect John Welborn Root the freedom to create an intricately patterned exterior of cedar wood shingles, a material that was banned following the Fire of 1871. After 70 years under wraps, the church launched a $1.23 million restoration that revealed numerous lost details, including a spiral-patterned steeple. Since the project’s completion in 2007, church membership has increased from 47 to 200 and this rare example of Shingle-style architecture in Chicago has been preserved through a congregation’s thoughtful stewardship.