National Register of Historic Places

Mars Hill

Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa
Listed
September 12, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74000814

About this property

Mars Hill is a historic church building and cemetery located near Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. Barbara Clark donated the property to the Baptist Church and the church building was built between 1850 and 1857. The rectangular structure is composed of dovetail notched hewn logs, and it is capped with a gable roof. The front door is a copy of the original. It is thought that its name comes from its location, but that cannot be substantiated. Local lore has it that the church building served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. A fire set by an arsonist nearly destroyed the building in 2006. After two years of fundraising and construction it was re-dedicated on June 8, 2008. Some of the original logs that were charred in the fire are still a part of the structure. It is one of the largest log buildings and one of the oldest log churches still in use in Iowa. A worship service is held in the now interdenominational church yearly in June.

Location

Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa
40.89936, -92.35743

Categories

ARCHITECTURERELIGION
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Eldon Carnegie Public Library
Industrial
7 mi
McHaffey Opera House
Industrial
7.1 mi
Chief Wapello's Memorial Park
Listed
7.2 mi
Big 4 Fair Art Hall
Industrial
7.5 mi
Agassiz School
Industrial
7.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mars Hill listed on the National Register?

Mars Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Mars Hill?

Mars Hill is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mars Hill?

The period of significance for Mars Hill is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Mars Hill?

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