Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | North of Waterville, Iowa on County Road A-52 |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1868 |
| Built by | W.A. Eriksen |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000339 |
| Added to NRHP | July 7, 1983 |
The Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church is a historic church building located north of Waterville, Iowa, in the United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 because of its important history and unique design.
History
In the fall of 1850, the first Norwegian families who settled in the Paint Creek area of Allamakee County, Iowa decided to create a Christian school and a place to worship. The school officially started in March 1851, with Ole Larson as its first teacher. The very first church services were held in July of that year at Thomas Anderson's home. Pastor Claus Lauritz Clausen from Rock County, Wisconsin led these services. By November 1851, a schoolhouse was finished, and it was also used for church gatherings.
At first, the church only had visiting ministers. The community sent a request to Norway for their own pastor. Reverend U. V. Koren answered their call and arrived in late 1853. He stayed until 1862 before returning to Norway. All the early pastors for East Paint Creek came from Norway. In July 1855, the church members decided to build a log church, which was completed in 1857. As the community grew, the congregation became too large for one church. They split into two separate churches: East Paint Creek Church and West Paint Creek Church. This happened because the roads in the area were not very good, making travel difficult.
The first stone for the current church building was placed on May 24, 1869. The church was officially opened and dedicated on August 24, 1870. W.A. Eriksen built the church in the Gothic Revival style. Reverend Ove Jacob Hjort was the pastor at that time. A cemetery, which is even older than the church, surrounds the building. Church services were held in the Norwegian language, at least partly, until the 1930s.
Around 1880, a disagreement about church beliefs caused some problems among Norwegian Lutherans, including those in the Paint Creek area. A small group left the original churches and formed new ones, known as the East and West Synod Lutheran Churches. To tell the two groups apart, the original churches were renamed Old East Paint Creek Church and Old West Paint Creek Church. Old East Paint Church stayed with a certain group of churches until 1890. Then, they joined the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Another split happened in 1907, which led to the creation of the Waterville Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1917, Old East Paint Church changed its connection again to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Today, the congregation has moved to Waukon, Iowa, and is known as King of Grace Lutheran Church. The old church building is no longer used for services.
Architecture
The main part of the church is shaped like a rectangle, measuring about 64 feet (19.5 meters) long and 44 feet (13.4 meters) wide. The outside walls are made of limestone found nearby, which is covered with a smooth layer of stucco. A section that sticks out from the front has a wooden bell chamber and a tall, pointed spire on top. The spire reaches about 100 feet (30.5 meters) high. The main entrance is also in this front section. It is inside a rounded arch, framed by a fancy Gothic-style porch. The sides of the church have five tall, narrow lancet windows placed evenly.
A vestry (a room where clergy prepare) was added later to the back of the church. Its outside walls are also made of limestone, but these stones are laid in a random pattern and are not covered with stucco. This might show what the main church looked like before the stucco was added. A new basement and foundation were built under the church and vestry between 1949 and 1952. Matching additions with shed roofs were built on each side of the vestry in 1967.
Inside the church, you can still see many original features. These include the wooden altar, the pulpit (where the pastor preaches), the baptismal font, the pews (church benches), the altar rail, and a two-level brass chandelier. The beautiful stained glass windows were added in 1957. The original stairs to the balcony were replaced in 1970. The ceiling inside the main worship area is made of pressed tin.
