Little Brown Church Is A Pretty Place Of Worship In Iowa
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published November 10, 2020
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
Iowa is full of lovely churches. However, none quite compare to Little Brown Church. Undeniably delightful, the little chapel is tucked away in a small town and is as cute as can be. But there’s more to love about the church than its appearance. The story behind it is as charming as the church itself. Take a look:
Little Brown Church is located in the small town of Nashua, about 15 minutes outside of Charles City. Interestingly enough, the church’s back-story predates its construction by several years.
As the story goes, Pitts was travelling by stagecoach when he stumbled upon an empty lot where the church now stands. He instantly thought it’d be a great spot for a church and so, he wrote a poem, which was later set to music and dubbed "The Little Brown Church in the Vale."
Pitts’ wasn’t the only one who thought the property was the perfect place for a church. Residents of the area, which at the time was known as Bradford, were tired of meeting in makeshift churches in lawyer’s offices and parishioners’ homes, and deemed a place of worship necessary.
Construction of the church began in 1860, and by 1862, the building was enclosed – an impressive feat considering that many projects at the time were halted by the Civil War.
Even more impressive is the fact that during those first two years of construction, not a penny had been spent. Instead, the church was built using donated supplies and time.
Between 1862 and 1864, the final touches were added to the church, including its now-famous hue, which is the result of Ohio Mineral Paint that was selected solely because it was the cheapest option.
Little Brown Church’s story doesn’t end there, though. In 1862, Pitts returned to the area to teach music at the Bradford Academy – at which time he saw that a church, a brown church no less, had been built at the very site he saw years earlier!
For more information, call Little Brown Church at (641) 435-2027. You can also visit the church’s website or Facebook page.
So, did you know about this charming little church? Were you aware of its history? Ever visited? If so, what’d you think? Tell us in the comments section.
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