January 13. On this date in 1943, Shoghi Effendi sent cablegrams to Bahá'í around the world announcing the completion of the exterior edifice of the Bahá'í temple in Wilmette, Illinois. 'Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Wilmette in 1912 for the ground-breaking ceremony during which he laid the cornerstone.

January 13. On this date in 1943, Shoghi Effendi sent cablegrams to Bahá'í around the world announcing the completion of the exterior edifice of the Bahá'í temple in Wilmette, Illinois.
'Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Wilmette in 1912 for the ground-breaking ceremony during which he laid the cornerstone.

The actual construction of the building did not begin until 1921, after Bahá'ís agreed to use a design by Louis Bourgeois.

On January 16, 1931, the dome of the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette, which was nearing completion, caught fire. Wilmette and Evanston firefighters worked to save the structure, and damage was estimated at $50,000.

The temple was eventually dedicated on May 2, 1953.

Cablegram to India

INFORM ALL BELIEVERS COMPLETION EXTERIORS EDIFICE FIRST BAHA’I HOUSE WORSHIP WESTERN WORLD INITIATED THIRTY FIVE YEARS AGO. ADVISE CABLE CONGRATULATIONS BEHALF INDIAN BELIEVERS EXECUTORS HISTORIC ENTERPRISE RANKING AMONGST FOREMOST ACHIEVEMENTS FIRST BAHA’I CENTURY. URGE THROUGHOUT INDIA WIDEST PUBLICITY HISTORIC EVENT.
SHOGHI

Cablegram to Australasia

ANNOUNCE BELIEVERS COMPLETION EXTERIOR EDIFICE FIRST BAHAI TEMPLE WESTERN WORLD ADVISE CABLE CONGRATULATIONS ITS VALIANT BUILDERS SHOGHI RABBANI

Cablegram to Britain

CONVEY GLAD TIDINGS ENGLISH BELIEVERS COMPLETION EXTERIOR EDIFICE MOTHER TEMPLE WEST ADVISE CABLE CONGRATULATIONS REPRESENTATIVES AMERICAN BAHA'IS SUPERB ACHIEVEMENT AND WIDE PUBLICITY BRITISH PRESS.
SHOGHI RABBANI

Cablegram to North America

104.1 HEART AGLOW PRIDE LOVE GRATITUDE SUPERB ACHIEVEMENT COMPLETION EXTERIOR HOUSE WORSHIP MOTHER TEMPLE WEST. BAHA'U'LLAH'S HIGH BEHEST ENSHRINED HIS MOST HOLY BOOK BRILLIANTLY EXECUTED. THIRTY-FIVE YEAR OLD ENTERPRISE INITIATED SAME DAY BAB'S SACRED REMAINS TRANSFERRED MOUNT CARMEL TRIUMPHANTLY CONSUMMATED. UNIQUE EDIFICE SINGLED OUT CONSECRATION HANDS 'ABDU'L-BAHA NOBLY REARED. GREATEST HOLY LEAF'S LAST ARDENT WISH BEFITTINGLY FULFILLED. CONCOURSE ON HIGH JUBILANT. MYSELF BOW HEAD JOYOUS REVERENT RECOGNITION PRODIGIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT DESERVES RANK AMONG OUTSTANDING ENTERPRISES LAUNCHED HEROIC AGE AND MOST SIGNAL VICTORY WON SINCE INCEPTION FORMATIVE PERIOD BAHA'I DISPENSATION.