Zion Lutheran Church. LCMS. Corner of 111th and Book Road in Wheatland Township, Naperville, IL. Most of us in the area knew it as Plainfield, IL growing up. The Little German Church....The Church burned down around 2000. The New Church sits about where that field in the middle sits. All the buildings in this picture have been removed. The Parsonage was built for the pastor back in the late 1800's early 1900's. There is a service garage and the white building in the middle near Book Road is the old School building, which also had a basketball court inside! I remember it as a half court because at one time they built a stage that covered half of it. The Cemetery (far right) is still there , many gravestones from the 1800's. My Family has been members of Zion for many years.....My parents married in the old Church...I was married in the new Church building....My Grandfather (Elmer Mandel) served as President of Zion in the 1940's and I was an Elder for many years. My mother, father and sisters still attend Zion. All my family members were baptized there..... In the 1970's I believe the Pastor would be either Pauling or perhaps it was already Pastor Weber, whom we at Zion shared with Good Shepard in Warrenville, IL. I could write a book about the history of this church.....it's more than a church...it is family.

Thank you for the contribution Shane. So much additional history I never heard before . I remember it was burned down Halloween Night 2002 by arsonists/vandals. I also recall election balloting being held inside during its final years including the 2000 presidential election. I don't why I can't find the old Chicago Tribune article anymore. If I do I'll edit accordingly. But I think I read there were plans to really restore it and turn it into a museum and move it a little further down "old Book Road" to the site of the Riverview Farmstead? What a shame. Glad to hear the legacy of the church lives on through family.