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A symbol of resilience
Just north of Chicago, in Wilmette, Illinois, stands the Bahá’í House of Worship, widely recognized as the oldest surviving Bahá’í temple in the world.
Completed in 1953, it holds a special place in Bahá’í history as the first temple built in the Western Hemisphere. Its location along Lake Michigan places it just outside the city while still firmly tied to the Chicago area.
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The first Bahá’í temple in the Western Hemisphere
The Wilmette temple is not only the oldest still-standing temple; it was also the first Bahá’í House of Worship constructed in the Western Hemisphere.
This milestone reflects the early growth of the Bahá’í Faith in North America. Today, the site continues to serve as a central place of worship and a key symbol of the faith’s presence across the continent.
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Why Wilmette became the temple’s home
The temple stands in Wilmette, Illinois, just north of Chicago along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Its setting gives it both visibility and a quiet atmosphere away from the city center…