National Register of Historic Places

First Methodist Church

Rock Rapids, Lyon County, Iowa
Listed
June 22, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78001244

About this property

Rock Rapids United Methodist Church, formerly known as First Methodist Church, is located in Rock Rapids, Iowa, United States. The church building is significant for the use of blue-gray and red granite used in its construction. It was designed by Sioux Falls, South Dakota architect Joseph Schwartz utilizing the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Completed in 1896, it is the second church building for a congregation founded in the 1870s. The blue-gray granite quarried near Sioux Falls is the main building material, and it is laid in a random ashlar pattern. The red granite was acquired from the receiver of a bankrupt packing plant which had begun, but did not complete, a new stone building. It is used for the trim, especially in the voussoirs of alternating colors. The building also features a tall corner bell tower. The pipe organ was ordered from the Hinners Organ Company of Pekin, Illinois in January 1905 at a cost of $1,960 (equivalent to $70,000 in 2025). An addition was added to the south side of the church in 1966. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Location

302 S. Carroll St.
Rock Rapids, Lyon County, Iowa
43.42927, -96.17213

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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

Lyon County Courthouse
Industrial
0.2 mi
Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Northern Railroad-Rock Rapids Station, Railroad Track and Bridge
Industrial
0.4 mi
Melan Bridge
Industrial
0.8 mi
Reynolds, Charles B., Round Barn
Industrial
8.8 mi
Duncan-Duitsman Farm Historic District
Listed
12.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was First Methodist Church listed on the National Register?

First Methodist Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 1978.

What type of historic resource is First Methodist Church?

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

What is the period of significance for First Methodist Church?

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

Can I research the history near First Methodist Church?

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