National Register of Historic Places

St. John's Lutheran Church

Kalona, Johnson County, Iowa
Listed
April 4, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000532

About this property

St. John's Lutheran Church, also known as Evangelical St. John's German Lutheran Church, was a complex of historic buildings located north of Kalona, Iowa, United States. This Lutheran congregation was organized in 1870 by German immigrants who settled in southern Johnson County in the 1860s. It began as a mission under the direction of the Rev. J. Hoerlin, Sr., and it was formally incorporated in 1875. The simple frame church building was completed that same year. It rested on a concrete block foundation, from 1917, and featured three round-arch windows on the side walls and a fanlight over the main entrance. When the Rev. H. Hertle came as the first resident pastor in 1878 a two-story frame parsonage was built next to the church. Behind the church and parsonage sat an outhouse and a catechetical room that was used for children's religious instruction. Services in English were begun in 1905 because the younger members no longer spoke German. From the turn of the 20th century until 1955 the congregation slowly declined in numbers. From 1955 to 1958 a minister from Iowa City conducted services here. After that time only occasional services for funerals or family reunions were held. By the time the buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, they were in poor condition. They have all subsequently been torn down. A small cemetery remains in the church grounds.

Location

Kalona, Johnson County, Iowa
41.55416, -91.66774

Categories

EUROPEANEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTRELIGION
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

Miller Round Barn
Industrial
1.9 mi
Roberts Octagon Barn
Industrial
3 mi
First Welsh Congregational Church
Industrial
5.1 mi
Washington Township Center High School
Industrial
5.3 mi
St. Mary's Parish Church Buildings
Listed
6.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. John's Lutheran Church listed on the National Register?

St. John's Lutheran Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 4, 1977.

What type of historic resource is St. John's Lutheran Church?

St. John's Lutheran Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for St. John's Lutheran Church?

The period of significance for St. John's Lutheran Church is recorded as the industrial era.

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