Chicago, Illinois
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Chicago | ||
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| City in the United States | ||
From top, left to right: The House of Worship in Wilmette; participants at the 2008 regional conference in Chicago; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, 1912; and the commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's visit advertised at the Chicago Theatre, 2012.
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| Location of Chicago
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| History: Firsts |
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| - | Local Assembly | 1900 |
| How to contact: | ||
| - | Phone | (312) 225-1919 |
| - | Address | PO Box 15385 Chicago, IL 60615 |
| Official Website | http://www.chicagobahais.org/ | |
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Chicago is the third largest city, by population, in the United States of America. It is situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan, near its southern end. It is the largest city in the state of Illinois, with approximately 2,700,000 residents. Its nickname is "The Windy City".
History[edit]
When 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked a new Bahá'í, George Khayrullah, to take the Bahá'í Faith to the United States of America, he headed for the Chicago area, and, although first giving talks in Kenosha, Wisconsin, he succeeded in effect in creating a Bahá'í community in Chicago. This was directly after the 1893 Chicago Exposition. The Inter Ocean, (Chicago, Illinois), 24 September 1893, published a survey of presentations at the Parliament. Rev. Jessup's presentation on the religion is included.[1] A few notable Bahá'ís are noted to have been present for or heard of the presentation: Sarah Farmer and Thornton Chase.
The Bahá'ís in Ashkhabad, Russia (now Turkmenistan), wrote to their Bahá'í brothers in Chicago in around 1903, suggesting that the latter raise a Mashriqu'l-Adhkár. The Bahá'ís in Chicago petitioned 'Abdul-Bahá to that end, and approval was given.
In the Bahá'í Temple Unity, the first nascent Local Spiritual Assembly of the West was born, in around 1906. Corinne True became known as the "Mother of the Temple", and it was to her that The Master gave instructions as to the building of the Temple. When 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself visited America in 1912, he laid the cornerstone of the new temple, in the area known as Wilmette, some miles to the north of Chicago. Mrs. True had herself chosen the spot. Although the process had begun in 1903, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar was not completed until 1953. From the northern city limits, one travels through Evanston before reaching Wilmette. Evanston is the centre for the World Council of Churches, and is also the address for certain Bahá'í offices. Neither Evanston nor Wilmette are technically part of Chicago.
The newspaper Chicago Defender took up mention of the religion as early as 1911. See Coverage of the Baha'i Faith in the Chicago Defender
References[edit]
- ↑ Henry H. Jessup, D.D., Makes an Eloquent and Instructive Address The Inter Ocean, (Chicago, Illinois), 24 September 1893 • Page 2
