St. Paul Lutheran Church (Davenport, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Paul Lutheran Church |
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St. Paul Lutheran Church in 2023
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 Location in Iowa
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| 41°32′30″N 90°34′28″W / 41.54167°N 90.57444°W | |
| Location | 2136 Brady St. Davenport, Iowa |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Evangelical Lutheran Church in America |
| Membership | 3,500 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Groth Design Group |
| Style | Georgian Colonial Revival |
| Completed | 2007 |
| Construction cost | $7.2 million |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 750 |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Synod | Southeastern Iowa |
St. Paul Lutheran Church is a church located in Davenport, Iowa, in the United States. It is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The church's first building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it was recognized as an important historical site. However, that original building has since been taken down.
The church you see today was built in 1952. It includes two buildings that are important parts of the Vander Veer Park Historic District. The main church building was finished in 2007.
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History of St. Paul Lutheran Church
Lutheran Churches in Davenport
The Lutheran Church was one of the last major Protestant churches to start in Davenport. German immigrants tried to form Lutheran churches in the city. In 1861, a German Lutheran minister came to Davenport. He helped start the First German Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church in 1862. They built a church in 1866.
Later, some members left to form Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1869. Both Zion and Trinity churches are still active today. There were also early attempts to start an English Lutheran Church in the 1850s, but these did not succeed at first.
Starting St. Paul's Congregation
In 1879, Reverend George W. Snyder came to Davenport. He found 30 people who wanted to start a new church. On October 30, 1879, the new church joined the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa. However, they did not hold services until they had a church building.
Reverend Snyder raised $4,000 and bought land for $1,740. The first church building was built in late 1881. The first service for the new church was held on January 22, 1882. The Sunday School started that same day with 34 students.
The small church was officially opened on April 30, 1882. By 1891, Reverend Snyder left to lead another church. Reverend W. Henry Blancke took over in June 1891. The church building became too small for the growing number of members. So, they planned a new, larger church.
On May 4, 1902, the new church building was dedicated. It cost $26,000 for the building, organ, and furniture. Reverend Blancke also worked to improve the community during his time as pastor. After he left, the church continued to grow.
Original Church Building Design
The first church building from 1881 was built in the Gothic Revival style. It had a simple rectangular shape with a steep roof and a large pointed window. The 1902 building, which was attached to the older one, also used the Gothic Revival style. It had towers and a tall, narrow design. The outside was made of plain brick with gothic-arched windows. Another part was added to the building in 1919.
Moving to a New Home
By the mid-1900s, the church needed even more space. The congregation decided to move to a new location further north. They bought property near Vander Veer Park. On this land was the E.C. Mueller House, a home built in the Georgian Revival style. This house became part of the new church complex and was used for offices.
In 1952, a new main church building was constructed in the Georgian Revival style. It had about 5,500 square feet of space. The old church building was sold to another church. Eventually, that old building was torn down to make way for a parking lot.
The Current Church Building
In 2007, St. Paul's built its current main church building. This big project cost $7.2 million. It was designed to match the existing Georgian Revival style of the church complex. The architect was Groth Design Group, and Estes Construction built it.
The new worship area is about 12,000 square feet and can seat 750 people. It has a tall "tower of light" and 10 stained glass windows from the 1952 church. It also has a large 14-by-8-foot widescreen. Artists created the altar, pulpit, and cross. A special bronze baptismal font bowl was made, and a large pipe organ was built for the church. The old 1952 sanctuary was changed into a gathering space and a smaller chapel.
St. Paul's congregation now has about 3,000 members. They have always focused on helping others. Over the years, St. Paul's has helped start three other Lutheran churches in the area. In 1976, the church also created Camp Shalom, a camp near Maquoketa, Iowa. More recently, they started a program to help new pastors in the ELCA church.
Images for kids
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St. Paul Lutheran Church in 2023
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E.C. Mueller House
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The 1902 church with the front of the 1882 church, which can be seen at the far left.
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The 1952 church building.
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The house on Lombard Street.
