Immanuel Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Immanuel Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | W. Second St., E. side, Kimballton, Iowa |
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| Area | 2.1 acres (0.85 ha) |
| Built | 1904 |
| Built by | Hansen, Niels; Rasmussen, Jens |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Queen Anne |
| Part of | Kimballton West 2nd – West 3rd Street Residential District (ID95001017) |
| MPS | Ethnic Historic Settlement of Shelby and Audubon Counties MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001462 |
| Added to NRHP | October 3, 1991 |
The Immanuel Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church is a historic church located on West Second Street in Kimballton, Iowa. Kimballton is a town in Audubon County, Iowa. This church was built in 1904. It is considered so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. This list recognizes buildings that are significant to the history of the United States. A few years later, it also became a part of the Kimballton West 2nd – West 3rd Street Residential District. This district is another collection of important historical buildings in the area.
A Church with a Special Story
This church sits on a hill, looking over the east side of Kimballton. It is one of the best-preserved old Danish churches in this part of Iowa. It is very important because of its connection to a special group within the Danish Lutheran Church. This group followed the ideas of Bishop N. F. S. Grundtvig.
In the late 1800s, there was a big discussion within the Danish church around the world. This church in Kimballton chose to follow Bishop Grundtvig's teachings. It is the only "Grundtvigian" church from that time that is still standing in the area. This makes it a very special place for understanding the history of Danish communities in Iowa.
Art Inside the Church
Inside the church, on the altar, there is a statue of Christ. This statue is a copy of a famous sculpture found in the Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark. The original statue was created by a famous Danish sculptor named Bertel Thorvaldsen.
Who Built This Church?
The Immanuel Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church was designed and built by two skilled craftsmen. Their names were Niels Hansen and Jens Rasmussen. They came all the way from West Denmark, Wisconsin. They had previously built a similar church there, which unfortunately burned down in the 1930s.
The pastor of the Kimballton church, Jens Gregersen, brought Hansen and Rasmussen to Iowa. Hansen drew the plans for the church, making it look similar to the one they built in Wisconsin. Rasmussen was responsible for creating many of the beautiful wooden features inside the church. These include the pulpit, where the pastor gives sermons, the altar, and the communion railing.
Just a mile or two away from Kimballton, there is another church called the Bethany Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church. It was built in 1898 and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. This church represents the other side of the big church discussion that happened in the late 1800s.
