Welcome!
We are happy to see you!
The Chicago Bahá’í Community receives a number of messages each year requesting information about visiting Chicago, the Bahá’í House of Worship, and places where `Abdu’l-Bahá visited in 1912 during His trip to America.
If you plan to visit the area and have specific questions that are not answered here, please contact the Chicago Local Spiritual Assembly by filling out the contact form.
Please note: The House of Worship is actually located in Wilmette, which is a small suburb north of the city of Chicago.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I visit the House of Worship?
The House of Worship is a popular destination for many Bahá’ís traveling from around the world to visit, pray, and meditate. Please visit the House of Worship website for updated hours of operation and current events. Note that there is public transportation (Purple line, Linden stop at the end of the line) that requires a several block walk, and there are limited dining options near the Temple, as it is located in a residential neighborhood.
Can the local community provide housing for visitors?
The House of Worship is a popular destination for many Bahá’ís traveling from around the world to visit, pray, and meditate. The Bahá’í community itself is not able to host visitors, as there are no facilities for this.
There are many hotels located in the city of Chicago itself. The suburbs surrounding the House of Worship, such as Evanston, Skokie, and Glenview, also have good hotels but you may require a car for transportation, as some suburbs do not have public transportation.
If I want to learn more about the Bahá’í Faith and I’m not a registered member of the community, can I visit the local community or House of Worship?
All are welcome! More than 250,000 people visit the House of Worship each year from a wide variety of backgrounds.
“…the original purpose of temples and houses of worship is simply that of unity—places of meeting where various peoples, different races and souls of every capacity may come together in order that love and agreement should be manifest between them . . . that all religions, races and sects may come together within its universal shelter.”
There are many activities in the local community that are open to all. Please contact us for more information!
I am a member of the Bahá’í community who is planning to come for a short/long-term visit or am moving to Chicago. How do I participate in local activities?
Please contact the Local Spiritual Assembly in advance of your visit/move by emailing secretariat@chicagobahai.org or using the contact form on this site, including the dates of your visit and the part of the city you will be staying so they can connect you to local believers. The city is quite large geographically.
Is there a Bahá’í center or gathering space in Chicago?
Not at this time. Most activities are held in the homes of local believers or in public spaces.
How can I contact a Bahá’í from the Chicago community?
Please use the contact form to reach out to us, and send your best contact information. We do not distribute personal information of individuals.
History & Places to Visit
WHERE ARE THE LOCATIONS THAT `ABDU’L-BAHÁ VISITED DURING HIS STAY IN CHICAGO?
He visited many locations during his time here in 1912. Some buildings no longer stand. If you are interested in visiting these locations, please check out this Google Map that an individual believer, Candace Moore Hill, created for reference.
WHERE IS THE GRAVESITE OF HAND OF THE CAUSE OF GOD CORINNE TRUE?
Corinne True, also known as the Mother of the Temple, is buried in Oak Woods Cemetery on the south side of Chicago. Most of her family are also buried nearby. There is a Google Sheet with more details on each individual person. The FindaGrave site has a photo of the monument to allow you to find the location, and the map on the left will help you upon arrival at the cemetery.
WHERE IS THE GRAVESITE OF HAND OF THE CAUSE ZIKRULLAH KHADEM?
Zikrullah Khadem is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie, closer to the Temple. His FindaGrave page has photos of the location, and you can refer to this map to guide you once at the location.
WHAT OTHER EARLY BAHÁ’Í BELIEVERS WERE BURIED IN THE CHICAGO AREA?
There is a wonderful list of early believers…you may have to do some searching and planning, as Chicago is a large city and there are many cemeteries. These lists are all the work of an individual believer and may be subject to change and error.
–Here is a list of Bahá’ís buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie.
–Here is a list of Bahá’ís buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago
–Here is a list of Bahá’ís buried in Illinois cemeteries…you can sort by cemetery and see if you can find anyone else.