Congregational United Church of Christ

Congregational United Church of Christ is located in the downtown area of Iowa City, Iowa, United States near the campus of the University of Iowa. The congregation was organized in 1856 and the church building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In 2004 it was included as a contributing property in the Jefferson Street Historic District.HistorySeventeen individuals signed the charter that initiated the congregation in 1856. Chicago architect Gurdon P. Randall designed the present church and the cornerstone was laid in 1868. The building cost $30,000 to construct, and it was dedicated on December 9, 1869.A parsonage was built on the eastside of the church in 1891, which was later sold to the university and is now the location of the biology building. In 1903 a Lyon and Healy organ was installed. Other additions to the church include the administration annex, which was built in 1924, and the Little Chapel built in 1940.In 1957 the Congregational Church and the Evangelical and Reformed Church merged to form the United Church of Christ. The congregation was affiliated with the new church at this time. The same year a new Wicks organ was installed and the Christian Education building was added.