Union Sunday School is an historic building located in

Clermont, Iowa Clermont is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 586 at the 2020 census. Clermont is home to Montauk, the mansion of former Iowa governor William Larrabee, along with much historic architecture. Geography Clermont ...

, United States. It was built in 1858 and listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1974.

History

Initially, the building housed Clermont Presbyterian Church, which disbanded shortly afterward. with In 1863, the Presbytery and the Union Sunday School entered into an agreement whereby the latter could use the building as long as they were able to maintain it. Organized in 1857, Union was a

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. The term has been used in the context of various faiths, including Jainism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoro ...

Sunday school ] A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes. Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...

for adults and children. Previously they had met in the home of Mrs. Edwin Stedman, the first of seven superintendents. The most prominent member of the Sunday school was William Larrabee (Iowa), William Larrabee, who spent 18 years in the

Iowa Senate The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the Iowa, state of Iowa with populations of approximately 60,927 per constituency, . Each Senat ...

, and served two terms as Iowa's governor. He provided the pneumatic Kimball organ in 1896. His daughter Anna served as the church organist for over 60 years. The instrument, restored by

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders Dobson Pipe Organ Builders is a manufacturer of pipe organs based in Lake City, Iowa. The company was founded in 1974 by Iowa native Lynn A. Dobson, who served as President and Artistic Director until his retirement in February, 2020, when long-t ...

in 2010, is still played in concerts. The Sunday school was known throughout the years for its Christmas program. From 1877, the building also housed Clermont's first lending library. The books were donated by the Larrabee family. A group of people in town wanted to start

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

services, and beginning in 1933 the Rev. J.J. Snyder of

Elgin, Iowa Elgin is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 685 at the time of the 2020 census. Geography Elgin is located at the confluence of Otter Creek with the Turkey River. According to the United States Census Bureau, t ...

served as the first minister of what was known as the Union Church. In 1943 the congregation became Methodists. Union Sunday School dwindled in size and disbanded in 1963. At that time it was the oldest organization in continuous operation in Clermont. The Methodist congregation disbanded in 1966. The Presbytery of Northeast Iowa donated the building to the non-profit Historical Governor Larrabee Home in 1970. File:Union Sunday School (Clermont, Iowa) chapel.jpg, Chapel File:The Historic Union Sunday School Kimball Organ, Clermont, Iowa.jpg, Kimball Organ File:Union Sunday School (Clermont, Iowa) plate.jpg, Plaques

Architecture

The brick structure measures . Its main facade features the suggestion of a pediment formed by the decorative brick

frieze In classical architecture, the frieze is the wide central section of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic order, Ionic or Corinthian order, Corinthian orders, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Patera (architecture), Paterae are also ...

and the simple brick

coping Coping refers to conscious or unconscious strategies used to reduce and manage unpleasant emotions. Coping strategies can be cognitions or behaviors and can be individual or social. To cope is to deal with struggles and difficulties in life. It ...

. Extending below it are four capped brick

pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...

s. The windows are all rectangular in shape and they each have locally quarried dolomite

lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case ...

s and sills. The front windows have louvered shutters. Above the front

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

is a large square wooden bell tower. Its corners feature capped pilasters that frame the double louvered panels of the bell chamber. It is capped with a metal

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spire ...

with a brass ornamental cross. The interior has three sections of pews across with no middle aisle. The pipe organ is centered on the back wall. The ceiling is composed of ornamental pressed tin. The vestibule was divided to provide for the library and an entry area. The drop lights were added in 1910 when electricity was added to the building.

Notable people

Anna Matilda Larrabee Anna Matilda Larrabee (, Appelman; August 13, 1842 – December 30, 1931) was an American social leader. Married to Iowa List of governors of Iowa, Governor William Larrabee (Iowa politician), William Larrabee, she served as the First lady, First ...

, superintendent of the Union Sunday School for more than 30 years }

References

{{Authority control Churches completed in 1858 20th-century Presbyterian church buildings in the United States Churches in Fayette County, Iowa Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa Sunday schools National Register of Historic Places in Fayette County, Iowa 1858 establishments in Iowa