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 Des Moines County, IA

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

Des Moines 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 Des Moines County, IA

The 12 nearest

15 listed sites on the record match historic churches within 30 miles of Des Moines County, IA, out of 92 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 25 listed sites carry Des Moines County as their county.

German Methodist Episcopal Church2.4 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Burlington · listed 1977National Register of Historic Places
Jagger-Churchill House2.4 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Burlington · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
Church of St. John the Baptist2.5 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Burlington · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
First Congregational Church2.5 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Burlington · listed 1976National Register of Historic Places
Baptist Church9.1 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Sperry · listed 1977National Register of Historic Places
Denmark Congregational Church12 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Denmark · listed 1977National Register of Historic Places
South Henderson Church and Cemetery12 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Gladstone · listed 1976National Register of Historic Places
St Mary of the Assumption Church17 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Fort Madison · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
Fairview Church and Cemetery18 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Wapello · listed 2023National Register of Historic Places
Presbyterian Church18 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · West Point · listed 2022National Register of Historic Places
Bethel Church19 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Morning Star · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
Second Baptist Church24 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Mount Pleasant · listed 2014National Register of Historic Places

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

Historic Churches in Des Moines 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 Des Moines County, IA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Des Moines 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 Des Moines County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Des Moines 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 Des Moines 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.