A group of people sitting on steps outside a historic stone church, enjoying a sunny day - historic churches

Self-guided · County in Iowa

Historic Churches in Black Hawk County, IA

Listed churches and chapels near you, many still holding services in the building their founders put up.

Black Hawk County is one of 99 counties in Iowa. Some of these sites are open to visitors, some are private, and some are ruins. All of them are on the record, and all of them can be seen from the public way.

Woman carrying a child inside a church with people worshipping in the background - historic churches — Photo: thatguycraig000 on Pexels

People walking up stairs towards a white church building - historic churches — Photo: Chalo Gallardo on Unsplash

A white church with a steeple and fence - historic churches — Photo: Lumin Osity on Unsplash

On the record near Black Hawk County, IA

The 12 nearest

24 listed sites on the record match historic churches within 60 miles of Black Hawk County, IA, out of 76 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 42 listed sites carry Black Hawk County as their county.

Walnut Street Baptist Church2.0 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Waterloo · listed 2000National Register of Historic Places
Grace Methodist Episcopal Church2.1 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Waterloo · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church18 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Chatham · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
Coldwater Church of the Brethren36 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Greene · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
First United Brethren Church36 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Toledo · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
First Congregational Church38 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Eldora · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
First Baptist Church of West Union43 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · West Union · listed 1999National Register of Historic Places
Honey Creek Friends' Meetinghouse45 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · New Providence · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
St. Matthew's by the Bridge Episcopal Church46 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Iowa Falls · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places
Kent Union Chapel and Cemetery47 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · District · Brooklyn · listed 2009National Register of Historic Places
St. James United Methodist Church49 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Cedar Rapids · listed 2015National Register of Historic Places
Lenox Township Church of the New Jersalem50 miles from the center of Black Hawk County · Building · Norway · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Black Hawk County, IA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Churches in Black Hawk County, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Black Hawk County, IA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Black Hawk County, IA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Black Hawk County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Black Hawk County, IA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Black Hawk County, IA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.