National Register of Historic Places

New Sweden Chapel

Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa
Listed
March 24, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000525

About this property

New Sweden Chapel is a historic Lutheran Church building located east of Fairfield, Iowa, United States in rural Jefferson County. The Swedish immigrant community that settled here was organized in 1845 under the leadership of Peter Cassel, a native of Kisa, Östergötland, Sweden. This was the first Swedish settlement in Iowa, as well as the first west of the Mississippi River. They established a Lutheran congregation in 1848, and built a log church in 1851. This church replaced it in 1860. Local builder Henri Jagle was responsible for building the 50-by-30-foot (15.2 by 9.1 m) frame structure. It is four bays in length and features a 16-foot (4.9 m) tower with a spire over the main entrance. The interior features a painting by Olaf Grafström, who was an art instructor at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1948 the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church named the New Sweden Chapel as a National Synodial Shrine in recognition of its being the oldest congregation in the synod. Prince Bertil of Sweden and the Archbishop of Uppsala participated in a ceremony that drew 3,000 people. The chapel no longer houses a regular congregation, but is used for special occasions. A cemetery is located on the church grounds. The chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Location

Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa
41.02288, -91.77984

Categories

RELIGION
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about New Sweden Chapel

This page lists New Sweden Chapel. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your New Sweden Chapel report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Fairfield Public Library
Industrial
7 mi
Hulme, Samuel and Sarah, House
Industrial
8.2 mi
Benjamin Chapel and Richwoods Cemetery
Early Republic
8.8 mi
Louden, R.R., and Antoinette, House
Industrial
9 mi
Louden Whirl-Around
Listed
9.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was New Sweden Chapel listed on the National Register?

New Sweden Chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 24, 1977.

What type of historic resource is New Sweden Chapel?

New Sweden Chapel is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for New Sweden Chapel?

The period of significance for New Sweden Chapel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near New Sweden Chapel?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near New Sweden Chapel will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Jefferson County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Jefferson County.

Explore JeffersonCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near New Sweden Chapel will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report