St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Johnsburg, IL.

Located at 2302 W. Church St. in Johnsburg, St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church (above) was built in 1902. This was the fourth church built on this land, the first log cabin church was built in 1842, a larger frame church built in 1850, and as the community grew a third church we erected that took 13 years to build in 1867. In 1900, this church burned and the parishioners built the current structure in 1902. The parish is one of the first established in the State of Illinois.

The St. John the Baptist Catholic School (left) is the first Catholic school in McHenry County and established in the first log church in 1843. In 1866, a second one-room school was built and taught by lay teachers until 1901. A new school was built behind the existing one and named, St. Joseph Parochial School. In 1945, fire destroyed the newer school. Finally, the school above was opened for the 1953-1954 school year.

The parish cemetery (right of church) contains the remains of the three founders of the Johnsburg community: Jacob Schmitt (1908-1892), Nicolaus Adams (1799-1879), and Nicolaus Frett (1795-1844). Jacob Schmitt purchased 60 acres of land in 1841 from the U.S. Government and donated part of his land to build the St. John the Baptist Church.