Jenny Lind Chapel, Greek Revival chapel in Andover, US.
Jenny Lind Chapel is a simple church at the southwest corner of 6th and Oak Streets in Andover, Illinois, completed in 1851 with Greek Revival features typical of small rural churches of the period. It was the first church built by the Augustana Synod, the main Swedish Lutheran body in America, for a congregation founded the previous year by Pastor Lars Paul Ebsjorn.
The congregation was founded in 1850 by Pastor Lars Paul Ebsjorn for Swedes who wished to keep worshipping with the Church of Sweden, many of them former members of the Bishop Hill Colony who had lost faith in Eric Jansson's teachings. The chapel, completed in 1851, was the first church built by the Augustana Synod. It joined the National Register of Historic Places on April 1, 1975.
The chapel bears the name of Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind, who donated funds for its construction during her American concert tour. The name connects visitors to the relationship between this building and the celebrated performer.
The chapel sits at an intersection that makes it easy to locate, and the museum section in the basement is open for visitors interested in learning about Swedish settler history. The simple architectural style allows you to appreciate the exterior from the street, even if you cannot access the interior.
The chapel's name honours Jenny Lind, the Swedish opera singer known as the "Swedish Nightingale", who gave $1,500 toward its construction. The congregation that built it was founded in 1850 by Pastor Lars Paul Ebsjorn, and many of its members had left the nearby Bishop Hill Colony after losing faith in Eric Jansson's teachings.
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