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.
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In 1856, four years prior its foundation being laid, a young music teacher named William Pitts wrote a poem about the church.
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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.”
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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.
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The piece of land spotted by Pitts several years earlier happened to be owned by a parishioner, who donated it to the church.
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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.
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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.
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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 in the Vale/Facebook
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!
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Fittingly, Pitts taught his song, “The Little Brown Church in the Vale," to his class, who sang it at the church’s dedication service.
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Due to a variety of reasons, Bradford began to slowly dwindle away, and so, in 1888, Little Brown Church closed.
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In 1914, it re-opened and has remained open ever since.
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Over the years, it’s grown into a popular wedding venue, and in 2015, the 74,000th wedding was held at Little Brown Church!
Little Brown Church in the Vale/Facebook
For more information, call Little Brown Church at (641) 435-2027. You can also visit the church’s website or Facebook page.
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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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Address: 2730 Cheyenne Ave, Nashua, IA 50658, USA
