Congregational Church of Ada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Congregational Church of Ada
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | E. 2nd Ave. and 1st St., Ada, Minnesota |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1900 |
| Architect | Charles Waterbury |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000236 |
| Added to NRHP | November 8, 1984 |
The Congregational Church of Ada is a historic building in Ada, Minnesota. You can find it at E. 2nd Avenue and 1st Street. This church was built in 1900 and has a lot of interesting history!
Contents
A Special Building in Ada
This beautiful church was designed by an architect named Charles Waterbury. He was the brother-in-law of Fred Hampson, who was a member of the church. The building cost about $6,000 to build.
Before this church was built, the congregation met in a schoolhouse. The new church was finished and dedicated on December 25, 1900. Reverend H. William Stiles was the first pastor to lead services in this new building. It was also the very first brick church ever built in Ada!
The Church Bell's Story
Every church needs a bell, and the Congregational Church of Ada got a special one. A pastor named Edward F. Wheeler, who served from 1886 to 1890, helped get the bell.
He wrote to his mother in New England and told her the church needed a bell. She asked several churches near her for help. They raised the money needed and sent it to her son. This is how the church got its bell!
Bees in the Belfry!
In April 1938, something surprising was found in the church's bell tower, also known as the belfry. A large colony of bees had made their home there!
A beekeeper was called to carefully remove the bees. They found a huge amount of honey! The Ladies' Aid, a group of women from the church, canned the honey after it was taken from the combs. They ended up with almost 100 quarts of honey, which they sold to local stores.
A New Chapter for the Church
Over the years, things changed for the church. On June 5, 1970, the members of the Congregational Church decided to join with the United Methodist Church of Ada. Together, they formed a new group called Faith United Church.
This new church built a new building on the west side of Ada. The old Congregational Church building was then given to the Norman County Historical Society. They used it as their museum for many years. Reverend Rolf Stohler was the last pastor to serve in the old church building.
The building served as a museum until the Flood of 1997. In 1984, the Norman County Historical Society successfully applied to have the church added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
About the Architect
Charles Waterbury, the person who designed this church, was a very talented architect. He studied at MIT, which is a famous university, and graduated in 1895.
Later, in 1909, he became a member of the American Institute of Architects. He worked in Chicago for a while before moving to Washington D.C. in 1918.
