Pettit Chapel
When William Pettit, a beloved physician from northern Iowa, died suddenly, the state mourned, with newspapers suggesting that perhaps only the state governor was more popular.
To honor her husband Emma Pettit commissioned Wright to design the Pettit Chapel as a public memorial. The small, understated chapel is one of the earliest examples of Wright’s Prairie style. Its cruciform plan terminates in lateral porches, capped by a low, hipped roof and broad eaves. Bands of art glass window and a central fireplace dominate the interior. Completed in 1907, the chapel stands next to the grave of Mr. Pettit in the Belvidere Cemetery. It has undergone two significant restorations (1977 and 2003) and remains open to the public.
