Thank you for reviving many wonderful memories of the lovely little retreats on campus. My best friend was married in Bond Chapel many, many years ago. The beauty of the ceremony in that lovely setting has stayed with me over the decades.
Wonderful article. I enjoyed it immensely. I miss the old days when Bond was open and you could just walk in. And I'll NEVER forgive the UChicago for removing the old CTS stained glass (or the stained glass rose window that was in Bartlett).
Thank you for posting this wonderful essay. I was a student at the University of Chicago for many years and the Thorndike Hilton chapel was a refuge. I would often browse the Seminary Coop and then sit quietly in the chapel to think. On one occasion, when I was in a deep crisis, I found great peace there and have thought often of that moment in the years since. I am very sad it is no longer there, but I love the old image that you have posted to capture its memory.
I was wondering what happened to the Hilton Chapel and came across this excellent piece. What a shame that the chapel was lost but I'm glad the organ survived. I need to get back to campus to check it out and hopefully catch an organ recital!
Do you have any further information about the Thorndike Hilton chapel? I'd like to learn more about it's history but I am struggling to find more online. Any help is appreciated!
I'm afraid I don't. Depending on what information you are after, you might contact the Chicago Theological Seminary, which has its own library, and see what archives they have. There seems to be something in Box 29 Folder 1 in the University of Chicago archives in the Hyde Park Historical Society collection, if you can physically get to campus. The public can access the archives.
What is your interest in the chapel? That might help.
It took me a while to get back to this one. I wanted to savor the music. Aside from the beauty of your writing, you make the beauty of the Chapel stand out. I am thrilled by the use of the organ there and grateful for your sharing the story behind it.
I do not believe the university is fully to blame for the stained glass issues. It is my understanding that the seminary originally said it would take more of the glass for their new building. When the ultimately took less that expected, some of the glass went to Christ Hospital (I think) in Oak Lawn...so at least it is together, though in the 'wrong' place.
My point was that the chapels in the former CTS were designed for stained glass and without the windows, they are not successful spaces. I thought so when I've had events in them and found that Blair Kamin thought so too. But of course Biblical symbolism didn't belong with economics. CTS agreed to take 23 windows and they apparently did. They are in that first floor chapel, the stairwell, and I think the library, that I know of. 38 windows were abstract enough to remain in Saiah Hall, at least as stated before renovation. I haven't counted. The deal with Advocate Christ Medical Center seems to have fallen through and the location of the remaining 21 windows is unknown--as far as I can tell. If you have evidence they made it out of storage, let me know because I would like to think they survived. The Medical Center seems to have instead commissioned modern glass for the building according to their newsletters, which make no mention of the CTS glass. A problem with the removal is that the windows were cemented in, so there was predicted damage, which might have ended up being a consideration. The much more inexplicable loss is the Bartlett window, which has been MIA since 2001 and is only offensive if someone has a grudge against Sir Walter Scott.
The windows that have gone walk-about were from the big chapel. Found the article I thought I'd read that the medical center didn't use them, but it sounded as though the windows were left in the hands of Advocate to dispose of.
Fascinating! Always a treat! Thank you.
Thank you for reviving many wonderful memories of the lovely little retreats on campus. My best friend was married in Bond Chapel many, many years ago. The beauty of the ceremony in that lovely setting has stayed with me over the decades.
Wonderful article. I enjoyed it immensely. I miss the old days when Bond was open and you could just walk in. And I'll NEVER forgive the UChicago for removing the old CTS stained glass (or the stained glass rose window that was in Bartlett).
Bond is open again when school's in session. I popped in yesterday to find the Lorado Taft plaque.
Thank you for "Small Sacred Spaces." Betty Reneker was acting president of the Chicago Theological Seminary following the death of her husband in 1981. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-08-06-0208060267-story.html
She was also a member of the President's Council at the Museum of Science and Industry in the early '80s. (I was on the MSI staff at the time.) More: https://photoarchive.lib.uchicago.edu/db.xqy?one=apf1-07077.xml
Thank you for posting this wonderful essay. I was a student at the University of Chicago for many years and the Thorndike Hilton chapel was a refuge. I would often browse the Seminary Coop and then sit quietly in the chapel to think. On one occasion, when I was in a deep crisis, I found great peace there and have thought often of that moment in the years since. I am very sad it is no longer there, but I love the old image that you have posted to capture its memory.
I was wondering what happened to the Hilton Chapel and came across this excellent piece. What a shame that the chapel was lost but I'm glad the organ survived. I need to get back to campus to check it out and hopefully catch an organ recital!
Do you have any further information about the Thorndike Hilton chapel? I'd like to learn more about it's history but I am struggling to find more online. Any help is appreciated!
Hi Coco,
I'm afraid I don't. Depending on what information you are after, you might contact the Chicago Theological Seminary, which has its own library, and see what archives they have. There seems to be something in Box 29 Folder 1 in the University of Chicago archives in the Hyde Park Historical Society collection, if you can physically get to campus. The public can access the archives.
What is your interest in the chapel? That might help.
Cheers, Trish
It took me a while to get back to this one. I wanted to savor the music. Aside from the beauty of your writing, you make the beauty of the Chapel stand out. I am thrilled by the use of the organ there and grateful for your sharing the story behind it.
I do not believe the university is fully to blame for the stained glass issues. It is my understanding that the seminary originally said it would take more of the glass for their new building. When the ultimately took less that expected, some of the glass went to Christ Hospital (I think) in Oak Lawn...so at least it is together, though in the 'wrong' place.
My point was that the chapels in the former CTS were designed for stained glass and without the windows, they are not successful spaces. I thought so when I've had events in them and found that Blair Kamin thought so too. But of course Biblical symbolism didn't belong with economics. CTS agreed to take 23 windows and they apparently did. They are in that first floor chapel, the stairwell, and I think the library, that I know of. 38 windows were abstract enough to remain in Saiah Hall, at least as stated before renovation. I haven't counted. The deal with Advocate Christ Medical Center seems to have fallen through and the location of the remaining 21 windows is unknown--as far as I can tell. If you have evidence they made it out of storage, let me know because I would like to think they survived. The Medical Center seems to have instead commissioned modern glass for the building according to their newsletters, which make no mention of the CTS glass. A problem with the removal is that the windows were cemented in, so there was predicted damage, which might have ended up being a consideration. The much more inexplicable loss is the Bartlett window, which has been MIA since 2001 and is only offensive if someone has a grudge against Sir Walter Scott.
The windows that have gone walk-about were from the big chapel. Found the article I thought I'd read that the medical center didn't use them, but it sounded as though the windows were left in the hands of Advocate to dispose of.