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In the same year, 1837, the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by Elder S. R. Beggs. The first church was built in 1857
The Catholics established a Society in Wilmington in 1855, and erected a small church. This Society has been most flourishing and has grown to large proportions. In 1865 they built a large brick church, seating 500 persons. This also proved to be inadequate, and in 1883 the present imposing stone building with a seating capacity of 700 was started and
the first Mass was sung on Christmas Day, 1886.
The Episcopal Church was organized in 1857, in charge of Rev. Chas. B. Stout, and a small church built. In 1867-68 the neat Gothic building was completed. This church, since remodeled, is now the Masonic Temple.
The Church of the New Jerusalem was organized in 1865, with Charles Luther as Reader, and a church built in 1866. This building was later sold and converted into a private residence.
In summary:, Churches:
The first Presbyterians worshipped in Peter Stewart's barn in the year of 1837. The Methodist Church was organized in 1837. The Catholic Church was established in 1853. The Lutheran Church was organized in 1944. The Nazarene Church came in 1944 also. Bethel Church (formerly known as the West Side Mission) was established in 1949. The Baptist Church was constituted in 1953. The Assembly of God Church was established in 1955. The Church of Christ was organized by a group of citizens in 1956.
The first school in Wilmington was a private one and was started in 1836. Three years later a public school was established and, soon after, a small school building was erected; 53 scholars attended and George Bristol was the teacher.
The first, a wagon bridge, built across the Kankakee river at Wilmington was destroyed by ice and flood in 1867 but was immediately replaced by a steel bridge which served until the coming of hard roads when, through the efforts of Supervisor Nicholas Engels, the present concrete seven-arch bridge was built in 1920-21 and has since been known as the Engels bridge.
Many stone bridges of the arch type are found in this City and vicinity, spanning Forked and Prairie Creeks, and adding a unique beauty and charm to the scenery.
 The Soldiers' Widows' Home was founded by The Woman's Relief Corps, Department of Illinois, in the year 1895 when the State assumed control.
This Home was the only one of the kind in the United States, and was beautifully located on the west bank of the Kankakee river, the site being that of the Dr. A. W. Bowen home. The Home, including the Hospital, accommodated 112 members. In 1963, the ladies were moved to Quincy, Illinois, and the buildings were used for a State Boys' Home as part of the Illinois Youth Commission program. It was abandoned a short while after and finally burned to the ground in 1972.
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