Little Brown Church in the Vale
Nov 12, 2013 14:15:23 #
For those who remember the song "The Church in the Wildwood". The church does exist, located in Iowa, here is the history, and some photos of the church.
The first settlers came to the Bradford area in 1848 and with an abundant water supply and virgin timber, the town grew. By 1855 the first members of the Puritan-Congregational Church had begun holding meetings. By 1856, Bradford had 500 residents and was the first town in this part of Iowa.
A young music teacher named William Pitts was traveling by stagecoach from Wisconsin to Iowa to visit his future wife. While waiting for the stagecoach horses to be changed, he walked down Cedar Street and saw the empty lot where the church now stands. Being a romantic young man, the thought came to him of what a charming setting the spot would make for a church. Returning home, he wrote the poem Church in the Wildwood, and later set it to music. He put it away in a drawer and forgot it.
Meanwhile, church members grew tired of meeting in places such as the lawyers office, abandoned stores and parishioners homes. They began making plans to build a church. A family in the parish gave them the property. When Rev. Nutting arrived, talk of building became serious. Limestone was quarried and by 1860 the foundation was laid. The Civil War slowed the work, but when one family gave trees and another donated the sawing of the lumber, the work never really ceased. By 1862 the building was enclosed and not a penny had been spent. When it came time to paint the building, the cheapest paint to be found was Ohio Mineral Paint, which would protect the wood but which was unhappily brown. With help from friends in the east, the building was finished, complete with bell, in 1864.
Mr. Pitts had married and was living in Wisconsin. In 1862 the couple moved to Fredericksburg to be near her elderly parents and Mr. Pitts was hired to teach singing class at the Bradford Academy. Imagine his surprise when he saw a little brown church nestled in the very trees where he had stood some years before. He went home and found the song and taught it to his class who sang it at the dedication service of the church. Pitts had written a song for a church that wasnt there. The congregation had painted their little church brown without ever hearing of the song.
History was hard on the Little Brown Church. The railroad by-passed the town and a flour mill moved to New Hampton to be on a bigger river. The railroad and other industry moved to Nashua. The town, once the county seat, slowly disappeared. In 1888, the church building was closed, although the congregation continued to hold Sunday School every week at the school. Occasional services were held at the building. In the early 1900s a Society For The Preservation of The Little Brown Church was started and by 1914, services were again held, as they are now.
History took another turn when the Weatherwax Quartet traveled throughout Canada and the United States between 1910 and 1921. Their theme song was The Church in the Wildwood and they talked about the little church. After World War I, highways were improved and cars brought many visitors. When a School superintendent and a merchants daughter were married at the church, a new tradition was started. Over 40,000 visitors come to the Little Brown Church each year, and over 400 weddings are performed annually. In October of 2009, the 73,000 wedding was held at the church. The congregation is alive and well with an active Sunday School, youth groups, choirs, ladies fellowship, Bible study, a prayer chain group, and weekly services at 10:30 on Sunday. They remain, as they were founded, a Congregational Church. The song continues to be sung in a little church that is painted brown and sits in the wildwood.
In 1998 the bell tower was completely restored. In 2000 with help from the State Historical Society of Iowa Site Preservation Grant Program, a new foundation was placed under the church. This project has enabled the church to be completely handicap accessible. Air conditioning has been added for the first time.
The Song.
1. There's a church in the valley by the wildwood, No lovelier spot in the dale; No place so dear to my childhood as the little brown church in the vale.
2. Oh come to the church in the wildwood, to trees where the wild flowers bloom, where the parting hymn will be chanted, we will weep by the side of the tomb.
3. How sweet on a clear Sabbath morning to list to the clear ringing bell, its tones so sweetly are calling oh come to the church in the vale.
4. From the church in the valley by the wildwood, when day fades away into night, I would fain from this spot of my childhood wing my way to the mansions of light.
Chorus.
Come to the church in the wildwood, oh come to the church in the vale; No spot is so dear to my childhood as the little brown church in the vale.
The first settlers came to the Bradford area in 1848 and with an abundant water supply and virgin timber, the town grew. By 1855 the first members of the Puritan-Congregational Church had begun holding meetings. By 1856, Bradford had 500 residents and was the first town in this part of Iowa.
A young music teacher named William Pitts was traveling by stagecoach from Wisconsin to Iowa to visit his future wife. While waiting for the stagecoach horses to be changed, he walked down Cedar Street and saw the empty lot where the church now stands. Being a romantic young man, the thought came to him of what a charming setting the spot would make for a church. Returning home, he wrote the poem Church in the Wildwood, and later set it to music. He put it away in a drawer and forgot it.
Meanwhile, church members grew tired of meeting in places such as the lawyers office, abandoned stores and parishioners homes. They began making plans to build a church. A family in the parish gave them the property. When Rev. Nutting arrived, talk of building became serious. Limestone was quarried and by 1860 the foundation was laid. The Civil War slowed the work, but when one family gave trees and another donated the sawing of the lumber, the work never really ceased. By 1862 the building was enclosed and not a penny had been spent. When it came time to paint the building, the cheapest paint to be found was Ohio Mineral Paint, which would protect the wood but which was unhappily brown. With help from friends in the east, the building was finished, complete with bell, in 1864.
Mr. Pitts had married and was living in Wisconsin. In 1862 the couple moved to Fredericksburg to be near her elderly parents and Mr. Pitts was hired to teach singing class at the Bradford Academy. Imagine his surprise when he saw a little brown church nestled in the very trees where he had stood some years before. He went home and found the song and taught it to his class who sang it at the dedication service of the church. Pitts had written a song for a church that wasnt there. The congregation had painted their little church brown without ever hearing of the song.
History was hard on the Little Brown Church. The railroad by-passed the town and a flour mill moved to New Hampton to be on a bigger river. The railroad and other industry moved to Nashua. The town, once the county seat, slowly disappeared. In 1888, the church building was closed, although the congregation continued to hold Sunday School every week at the school. Occasional services were held at the building. In the early 1900s a Society For The Preservation of The Little Brown Church was started and by 1914, services were again held, as they are now.
History took another turn when the Weatherwax Quartet traveled throughout Canada and the United States between 1910 and 1921. Their theme song was The Church in the Wildwood and they talked about the little church. After World War I, highways were improved and cars brought many visitors. When a School superintendent and a merchants daughter were married at the church, a new tradition was started. Over 40,000 visitors come to the Little Brown Church each year, and over 400 weddings are performed annually. In October of 2009, the 73,000 wedding was held at the church. The congregation is alive and well with an active Sunday School, youth groups, choirs, ladies fellowship, Bible study, a prayer chain group, and weekly services at 10:30 on Sunday. They remain, as they were founded, a Congregational Church. The song continues to be sung in a little church that is painted brown and sits in the wildwood.
In 1998 the bell tower was completely restored. In 2000 with help from the State Historical Society of Iowa Site Preservation Grant Program, a new foundation was placed under the church. This project has enabled the church to be completely handicap accessible. Air conditioning has been added for the first time.
The Song.
1. There's a church in the valley by the wildwood, No lovelier spot in the dale; No place so dear to my childhood as the little brown church in the vale.
2. Oh come to the church in the wildwood, to trees where the wild flowers bloom, where the parting hymn will be chanted, we will weep by the side of the tomb.
3. How sweet on a clear Sabbath morning to list to the clear ringing bell, its tones so sweetly are calling oh come to the church in the vale.
4. From the church in the valley by the wildwood, when day fades away into night, I would fain from this spot of my childhood wing my way to the mansions of light.
Chorus.
Come to the church in the wildwood, oh come to the church in the vale; No spot is so dear to my childhood as the little brown church in the vale.
The front
Inside from the door
From the Pulpit
Nov 12, 2013 19:13:25 #
Nov 13, 2013 11:43:27 #
Thank you for posting this. My Dad was a musician and played with some bands when I was a child. I'm 66 now. This is one of the songs he sang and played. This brought back some very good memories. I did not know the history of the church or song.
Nov 13, 2013 13:06:42 #
St3v3M wrote:
Thank you for the education.
You are most welcome St3. When I found out I was not far from the church, I had to make the trip to see it. (I was in Iowa for work)
Nov 13, 2013 13:08:56 #
lacsar wrote:
Thank you for posting this. My Dad was a musician and played with some bands when I was a child. I'm 66 now. This is one of the songs he sang and played. This brought back some very good memories. I did not know the history of the church or song.
You are welcome lacsr. You can find more info at www.littlebrownchurch.org. That's where I got the history I posted.
Nov 20, 2013 19:30:58 #
Nice set Jim. I was there too, while working in Iowa (smaal world). I know how difficult this little chapel is to photograph well due to the narrow street and its closeness to the road. You nailed it my friend.
Nov 21, 2013 09:28:37 #
rocco_7155 wrote:
Nice set Jim. I was there too, while working in Iowa (smaal world). I know how difficult this little chapel is to photograph well due to the narrow street and its closeness to the road. You nailed it my friend.
Thank you rocco. I actually shot this from about the center of the road and then cropped the bottom. :D
Nov 23, 2013 10:17:43 #
Brought back memories of going to church as a child. One of my favorite songs. Too bad our hymnals have changed so much and excluded so many old songs.
Nov 23, 2013 11:26:51 #
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