Zion
Summer sports winter
ZBTHS
Mayor of Zion 1999
Mr. Lane Harrison
Office
This was the grade school and High
school when I grew up in the 55-68. Every year we'd go to the park
and watch fireworks. I used to play a lot in the wooded
area behind our house. There was a small creek
we used to go spear fishing for suckers, fish. During the drw season it
was dry in spots. When it rained it would over flew the banks.The creek
flows into the lake.
Since then my oldest sister Paulette
went back , and bought up the property there , and sub divided it. One
home has been built , my great Aunt Ethal lives in it. Ethal is a life
time member of the Zion Historical Society.
A Brief History
The unique history of the City
of Zion, as one of the most representative religious utopias and planned
industrial communities established in the 20th Century, afforded the City
an interesting heritage.
The City of Zion, 50 miles North
of Chicago on Lake Michigan, was founded
in 1900 by Dr. John Alexander Dowdie, a Scot
by birth, who, for several years, was a Congregational minister in Melbourne,
Australia. Abandoning the ministry, Dr Dowie embraced the doctrine of divine
healing and turned to evangelism. Coming to America to build a church based
on his ideals, he began teaching near the entrance of the Columbia Exposition
in Chicago and winning converts to his message of divine healing, personal
repentance, and strict moral purity. His following increased rapidly and
a church called the Christian Catholic Church was formed. In order to establish
the headquarters of the church, Dr. Dowie founded Zion
City, a city for God's people, as a religious industrial community.
He employed Burton J. Ashley of Chicago as his consulting engineer and
planner. Reports were prepared concerning topography, drainage, water supply,
rapid transportation, park land, and parcel size for the development of
a city with a projected population of 200,000. The famous Zion Lace Factory,
later purchased by Marshall Field of Chicago, came into being, as did a
bank. a candy factory, a printing establishment, a cookie factory and various
other industries. Dr. Dowie, in short, turned a wilderness into property
worth several million dollars. The people paid a tenth of their income
into the church and, in return, at the end of each fiscal year, the profits
of the flourishing Zion industries and stores were divided among them.
Although Dr. Dowie received
much criticism in his later years, the genius of the man must be recognized
for the planning and development of a city and for the founding of a church
which both remain visible today. It would be difficult, if not impossible,
for one man to equal either of these accomplishments in today's world.
Shiloh
House was built in 1901 as Dr. Dowie's residence, along with the "barn"
across the street (east), at a cost of $90,000. It was originally
styled as a Swiss Chalet and is constructed of red brick and Indiana limestone.
The upper structured panels are of plaster and wood and the roof is colorfully
tiled. Originally, there was only one screened porch. The upper porches
were an addition by a later owner. Dr. Dowie lived in the house till he
passed away on March 9, 1907. The "barn" across the street served as the
stable where Dr. Dowie kept his horses and surrey. His delivery man and
other servants resided here.
Inside the house, nothing was
spared to make the house unique. Both electricity and gas were installed
for illumination. Light fixtures and bathroom fixtures were brought from
Europe. The bathroom walls were decorated with white tile. Bathtub fixtures
were designed as silver swans. A cedar closet was built on the second floor
in the servant's quarters. The house has two stairways, as was customary
in the better homes in Europe; one for the master, and the other for the
servants.
Upon the death of Dr. Dowie,
who died in the second floor bedroom, Mrs. Jane Dowie, who at the time
was living in her in " Ben Mac Dhui ", White Lake Michigan, came back to
Zion and found that the estate was bankrupt and that her husband had left
nothing for her. She sold everything that she could not take with her.
Friends bought furniture; Mr. Clendinen, the General Manager of Zion Industries,
bought the table, chairs and sideboards. One family took the fireplace
from the parlor and placed it in a house at 27th Street and Enoch
Avenue. The axminister carpets were bought by Mr. Benny Offner. Dishes
and silverware were solid. Beautiful settees were taken to Waukegan. When
Mrs. Bowie had everything placed in a railway car to be taken to Texas,
she found that she did not have enough money to pay the freight. She asked
friends. Mr. Lindskog, for money. but he refused. He did however, offer
to buy a piece of her furniture so she could raise the needed funds.
Following the departure of Mrs.
Dowie, the house became a rental unit for some of the followers of Dr.
Dowie. Included was Rev. W.D. Taylor and others, however, this did not
last. The house was up for sale and Mrs. Gring, a wealthy lady from Philadelphia,
bought it in 1910. She added the two upper porches and painted everything
white, inside and out, giving the house the appearance of a colonial mansion
rather than a Swiss Chalet. She resided in the house until she passed away
about 1942. The barn was not pursed by Mrs. Gring, and was held by the
Zion estate who rented rooms in the residential area. The barn was never
used as such after the death od Dr. Dowie.
After Mrs. Gring passed away,
the house and barn were both for sale. At that time, the Great Lakes Bible
Institute was formed, and they bought the house and barn, using the house
for the school with the upper floors for a girls dormitory. The barn was
remodeled one made into the classroom and a boys dormitory. This became
a school for the Assemblies of God, and opened there until 1954 when a
school was moved to Springfield, Missouri.
The house was up for sale again.
Loyal friends of Dr. Dowie,
who claimed to be the original Christian Catholic " Apostolic " Church,
were able to purchase the house, and it was used as a residence for Mr.
and Mrs. D.C. Huntley, a small chapel, library, and a print shop where
Mr. Huntley printed copies of Dr. Dowie's sermons and articles. A few followers
came, but it was not a growing venture. I myself have spent nights
in the house. The house is 3 stores with a small 4th story, just a room
directly under the roof, that has a beautiful stained glass window of a
deer in an open field. It was quite an experience for a young boy. The
house would make noises as the wood creaked in the night. My Aunt and Uncle
would stay on the first floor in a back room, where they did most of their
living. My Aunt and Uncle were 2 of the few people who I've seen
in my life that truly lived what they believed. As kids visiting them we
had to make sure we were dressed correctly, no bare arms or legs. It could
be 80 out but still we would be given clothes to cover our arms .
Mr. and Mrs. Huntley were both very quiet, and gentle people, as were all
the relatives on my dad's, Raper, side of the family. Mrs. Huntley's maiden
name was Raper. Mr. Huntley was getting older. At age 84, he was
trying to repair the roof, fix the wiring and heat portions of the 25 room
mansion. He could not keep up with the repairs. He passed away in 1967.
My Aunt, Mrs. M. Huntley offered the house to my dad Paul L. Raper but
, he realized it would cost a lot to keep this large home going, with all
the restoration it needed. Real estate agents tried to sell it for an apartment
building. Zion jeweler, Wesley Ashland, overheard some discussion
regarding the house and called Mrs. Huntley to see if she would sell
it to him. He had dreams of making it into a historical building. She complied,
and he arranged to buy t for $18,500. He called several people whom he
thought would be interested in organizing and developing the Zion Historical
Society. He was greeted with an enthusiastic response. The organization
was formed with Mr. Ashland becoming the first President.
Work crews were organized to
repair the building which was in very bad condition. The roof needed extensive
repairs. Plaster was falling from the walls and ceilings. All the interior
woodwork was dirty and in need of refinishing. The wallpaper needed to
be removed and replaced with paper suitable to a house of the Victorian
Era. The floors, which were of oak, had to be refinished. The foyer floor
was tiled which needed to be removed. It was hoped that all the floors
in the house could be restored to their original finish/ Thousands of volunteer
hours and thousands of dollars were needed to accomplish this great task.
Letters were sent to the residents and friends of Zion soliciting donations
and help.
After the first floor was clean,
dinners were aranged. Visits were set up for people to see what was being
accomplished. Life time membership was created. Gifts were accepted. The
government was approached for financial help with restoration project.
These were acknowledged along with funds from the goodwill of the City
Fathers. Moneys that were given because tax deductible.
Today, Shiloh House is in presentable
condition after many years of appreciative labor. The first floor of the
house is frequently rented for special occasions. Not only does it stand
as a silent tribute to Dr. Dowie, it also serves
as the headquarters for the Zion Historical Society and Zion's historical
museum.
So know you know a little about
the history of Zion Illinois. Special thanks to the Zion Historical Society
for this information.