National Register of Historic Places

First Congregational Church

Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa
Listed
November 21, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76000763

About this property

First Congregational Church is located in Burlington, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The church is also a contributing property in the Heritage Hill Historic District. The congregation was organized in 1838. The Rev. Horace Hutchinson was the first pastor and the congregation met in the home of James G. Edwards who was the publisher of the Burlington Hawk-Eye. He was succeeded by the Rev. William Salter who served here for 64 years (1846-1910). The congregation was involved in social ministry, civil rights, public education, and free libraries. Under Salter's leadership, it was a champion of the abolition of slavery and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. When the General Council of Congregational Christian Churches merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church and formed the United Church of Christ, First Congregational Church joined with about 200 other Congregational Christian churches in choosing not to join the merger, mainly because of the issue of congregational polity. It became a part of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, which was created in 1955. The church is a member of the National Association, the Iowa-Nebraska Association of Congregational Churches and the Burlington Area Council of Churches. The church building was constructed from 1867 to 1870. It is a Gothic Revival built of dressed dolomite. It is dominated by a tall, square, crenelated corner tower. It rises in three stages, which are separated by belt courses.

Location

313 N. 4th St.
Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa
40.81064, -91.10427

Categories

EDUCATIONSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Manufacturing and Wholesale Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Hedge Block
Industrial
0.1 mi
The Capitol Theater
Industrial
0.1 mi
Hotel Burlington
Industrial
0.1 mi
Burlington Public Library
Civil War
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was First Congregational Church listed on the National Register?

First Congregational Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 21, 1976.

What type of historic resource is First Congregational Church?

First Congregational Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for First Congregational Church?

The period of significance for First Congregational Church is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near First Congregational Church?

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