Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | North of Waterville, Iowa on County Road A-52 |
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| 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. This beautiful church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, recognizing its importance in American history. It stands as a reminder of the early settlers in the area.
Contents
History of the Church
Early Settlers and Worship
In the autumn of 1850, the first Norwegian immigrants settled in the Paint Creek area of Allamakee County, Iowa. They quickly decided to create a Christian school and a place for worship. The school started in March 1851 with Ole Larson as its first teacher. The very first church services were held in July of that year at the home of Thomas Anderson, led by Pastor Claus Lauritz Clausen. By November 1851, the schoolhouse was finished and also used for church services.
Building the First Churches
At first, the church congregation had ministers who only visited. They sent a request to Norway for their own full-time pastor. The Rev. U. V. Koren answered their call and arrived in late 1853. He served the community until 1862 when he returned to Norway. All of the early pastors for East Paint Creek came from Norway. In July 1855, the community decided to build a log church, which was completed in 1857. As the congregation grew, it became too large for one church. Because the roads were poor, the group divided into two separate churches: East Paint Creek Church and West Paint Creek Church.
The Current Church Building
The cornerstone for the church building you see today was laid on May 24, 1869. The church was officially opened and dedicated on August 24, 1870. W.A. Eriksen built this church in the Gothic Revival style, which was popular at the time. The Rev. Ove Jacob Hjort was the pastor when the church was built. A cemetery that is even older than the church surrounds the building. Church services were held in the Norwegian language, at least partly, until the 1930s.
Changes Over Time
In 1880, a disagreement about religious beliefs happened among Norwegian Lutherans. This affected the churches 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 them apart, the original churches were renamed Old East Paint Creek Church and Old West Paint Creek Church.
Old East Paint Church stayed with a specific group of churches until 1890. Then, they joined the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Another split happened in the congregation in 1907, which led to the creation of the Waterville Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1917, Old East Paint Church changed its affiliation 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 regular services.
Church Architecture
The main part of the church is shaped like a rectangle, measuring about 64 feet long and 44 feet wide. The outside walls are made of limestone from the local area, covered with stucco. The front part of the church sticks out and has a bell chamber and a tall spire on top, reaching 100 feet high. The main entrance is in this front section, under a rounded arch framed by a Gothic-style porch. The sides of the church have five lancet windows, which are tall, narrow 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 they 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. In 1967, matching additions with shed roofs were built on each side of the vestry.
Inside the church, you can still see many of its original features. These include the wooden altar, pulpit, baptismal font, pews (church benches), altar rail, and a two-tier 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, which gives it a unique look.
