The Jenny Lind Chapel is a historic church located at the southwest corner of 6th and Oak Streets in
Andover,
Illinois. Completed in 1851 for a congregation founded the previous year, the church was the first built by the
Augustana Synod, the main Swedish
Lutheran church in America. Pastor Lars Paul Ebsjorn founded the church for local Swedes who still wished to worship with the Church of Sweden; many were former members of the nearby
Bishop Hill Colony who had lost faith in
Eric Jansson's teachings, while the others were Swedes who had immigrated to the area due to the colony's fame. The church was named in honor of Swedish opera singer
Jenny Lind
Johanna Maria "Jenny" Lind (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and a ...
, who donated $1,500 for its construction. The building has a simple design with
Greek Revival features, a common form for small rural churches of the era.
The church was added to the
National Register of Historic Places on April 1, 1975.
References
Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois
Greek Revival architecture in Illinois
Churches completed in 1851
National Register of Historic Places in Henry County, Illinois
Swedish-American history
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