Built in 1902 as a temporary lodging house for followers of John Alexander Dowie, founder of the Christian Catholic Church and Zion City, Elijah Hospice was believed to be the largest wooden balloon-frame structure in the world. With 350 rooms, the hotel featured a bell tower, a roof garden, large circular parlors, and a dome. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, but the hotel was razed in 1979 after a two year unsuccessful effort by the Zion Park District to acquire restoration funds. Area citizens preserved the dome and adapted it to its present location, which closely conforms to its original placement. The site embracing the restored dome was donated by the Zion State Bank and Trust Company to the Zion Park District to assure visitors and residents a glimpse of Zion’s earliest years. In 1993, the dome was restored in recognition of Raymond and Irene Zukley, whose tireless efforts were responsible for its original preservation and were instrumental in its restoration, and of Advantage Bank, which generously offered financial support during the restoration project.