Coralville Union Ecclesiastical Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Coralville Union Ecclesiastical Church
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 405 2nd Ave. Coralville, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1885 |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000526 |
| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1977 |
The Coralville Union Ecclesiastical Church, also known as Coralville Town Hall, is a special old building in Coralville, Iowa, United States. It has a long history and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 because of its importance.
Contents
History of the Building
Early Days as a Church and Town Hall
Coralville's very first church was a wooden building. It belonged to a group called the Methodist Episcopal Church. Sadly, this church was destroyed in a fire around 1880.
After the fire, a new group was formed called the Coralville Union Ecclesiastical Society. Their goal was to build a new church for the community. Around 1885, they built the simple brick building we see today. It has a special roof shape called a gable roof.
This new building was unique because it served two purposes at once! The main floor was used as a church for different Christian groups. The lower level was used as the town hall, where the town's leaders managed local affairs. It could also be used for social events, but not for dancing.
Changes Over Time
In 1921, the town of Coralville bought the building for $2,500. After that, it was used for many different things. It was a school for a while, a meeting place for another church group called the Evangelical Free Church, and it continued to be the town's main administrative center. In 1953, the building was updated to better serve as the town hall.
Later, after it was no longer used as the town hall, the building was turned into a museum. This helped to preserve its history for everyone to learn from.
Moving to a New Home
In 2014, the building was in the way of new construction and development in Coralville. To save this important piece of history, the city decided to move it! They carefully moved the entire building from Second Avenue to Fifth Street.
Now, the old church and town hall sits across the street from another historic building, the Coralville Public School, which was built in 1876. These two historic buildings now stand together at the entrance to a new area called Old Town, showing off Coralville's rich past.
