Address: 3S530 Second Street        Mail:  P.O. Box311  Warrenville, IL 60555        Phone: 630-393-4215

MILESTONES....

traveling down a 127 year long rocky road

    Warrenville Methodist, organized with 17 members in 1854 after having been under the charge of Naperville since 1840, finally 'raised' their own home in June 1858.

   The basement was put to use as the town's public school, opening with a class of 27 in autumn of 1859.  James Prindle, 19 years old, was the principal and teacher.

   "As a church is was moderately successful for about 30 years...The loss of its Sunday School superintendent, Jude Gary, whom death claimed in 1881, was keenly felt.  After a decade of fighting a losing battle with poor attendance and poorer collections, in 1901 the Methodists 'gave up the ghost' and Warrenville had a deserted church building on its hands.

   "Ten young men known as the 'Live Wires' bought the property nine years later and proceeded to liven things up...The belfry and steeple, now out of character, were taken down"

   After selling his Hubbard Woods studio in 1924, 62-year-old artist Adam Emory Albright took up residence in Warrenville and acquired the old church.  His twin sons, Ivan and Malvin, built small studios in the church yard. 

   "As The Albright Gallery of Painting and Sculpture for the next three decades, the former church was a renowned art center in the Chicago area." *

* Schmidt, Leone, In and Around Historic Warrenville, 1982

CHRONOLOGY  OF  EVENTS

BEGINNINGS - (excerpts from the diary of Hiram Leonard 1810-1878)

PICTURES  - The Albright Building Then and Now

FLOOR PLANS

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