Not only is St. Mary Immaculate the first Catholic church in Plainfield, it's also one of the largest and most historic. It was founded in 1907, when the village had just 1,100 people and was a popular vacation spot for people who traveled to the area by electric train. Originally located in an old Universalist church, the parish built a new church in 1970 (after its elementary school opened in 1955). Tragedy struck in 1990 when a tornado destroyed a large portion of Plainfield, leveling St. Mary Immaculate School, killing the school principal and two staff members, and severely damaging the church. A new church and school opened on Illinois 59 in 1997 and underwent an expansion in 2000.