Mother Mosque of America facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Moslem Temple
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The mosque in 2016
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 Location in Iowa
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| Location | 1335 9th Street N.W. Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
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| Built | 1934 |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000516 |
| Added to NRHP | May 15, 1996 |
The Mother Mosque of America is a very special building in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was once known as The Rose of Fraternity Lodge. This mosque is the oldest building in the United States that was built specifically to be a mosque. It was finished in 1934.
Some other mosques, like the Al-Sadiq Mosque in Chicago, are older. However, they were first built for other purposes. They were later changed into places for Muslims to worship. There was an even older mosque built near Ross, North Dakota. But that building fell apart over time. A smaller mosque was built there in 2005 to remember its history.
History of the Mother Mosque
This mosque was built by a group of families. These families were immigrants and their children from the Ottoman Empire. This area is now known as Lebanon and Syria. The building was fully finished on February 15, 1934.
For almost 40 years, this small building was a place of worship for Muslims. In 1971, a bigger mosque was built in Cedar Rapids. It was called the Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids. After the new mosque was built, the Mother Mosque building was sold. Over the next 20 years, different owners let the building become old and damaged.
Saving the Mosque
In 1991, a group called the Islamic Council of Iowa bought the building. They worked hard to fix it up and make it beautiful again. They wanted it to be a cultural center for Muslims once more. The local Muslim community helped a lot with this effort. Imam Taha Tawil and Dr. Thomas B. Irving were key leaders in this project.
The Mother Mosque is located in a quiet neighborhood. Houses are on both sides of it. A small sign on First Avenue helps people find this important historical site.
A Place of Importance
Because the Mother Mosque is small, most Muslims in the area go to other mosques for daily worship. However, the Mother Mosque is still a very important place. It is a center for learning, prayer, and community events.
The Mother Mosque is listed on two important registers. It is on the Iowa State Historical Register. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to the National Register in 1996. At that time, it was called the Moslem Temple. It is seen as a vital part of American religious history. It shows how Islam and Muslims have been accepted in the United States.
The 2008 Flood
In June 2008, there were big floods in Iowa. The mosque's basement filled with 10 feet of water. Sadly, a large collection of books, old records, and special items stored there were lost.
