Honey Creek Friends' Meetinghouse
Encyclopedia
Honey Creek Friends' Meetinghouse is an historic structure located in New Providence, Iowa
, United States
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980.
, who were originally from Yadkin County, North Carolina
, organized the Honey Creek Monthly Meeting in 1852. They were a party of 44 composed of members of the Reece family ranging in ages from 8 weeks to over 70 years. It took two months for the party to reach their destination of Salem, Iowa. They moved on from there to establish the church in New Providence, Iowa. Not one railroad was crossed during the trek. Their first meeting house was a log structure that was built in 1854 and was replaced in 1859 after it had been destroyed by a fire. Various additions were made to the building and served the community until 1916 when they constructed this building. The meetinghouse was constructed by Ernie Moon, a local builder and church members. Services are no longer held in the building, which is now owned by the Honey Creek Preservation Group. They maintain the building, sponsor events and maintain records and other information from the church.
The building’s main gable
is oriented on a north-south axis, with a smaller front gable that sits asymmetrically on the east side. It contains the main entrance into the building. Behind the entrance is a short square bell tower
with a crenellated parapet
and pairs of elliptical arched openings on each side of the bell chamber. There is a secondary entrance on the north side of the building.
Large segmental arched windows light the interior on the north, south and east sides of the building. All of the other window openings on the building are rectilinear. The main entrance consists of two paneled doors. They open into a vestibule and stairhall, as the meeting room sits a few steps above the entrance. The meeting room occupies most of the main level of the building.
New Providence, Iowa
New Providence is a city in Hardin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 227 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Providence is located at ....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1980.
History
FriendsReligious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
, who were originally from Yadkin County, North Carolina
Yadkin County, North Carolina
- Cities and towns :*Boonville*East Bend*Jonesville*Yadkinville-Towns of the past:These towns were incorporated at one time:*Arlington, merged with Jonesville in 2001.*Hamptonville, chartered in 1818.*Huntsville, incorporated in 1792....
, organized the Honey Creek Monthly Meeting in 1852. They were a party of 44 composed of members of the Reece family ranging in ages from 8 weeks to over 70 years. It took two months for the party to reach their destination of Salem, Iowa. They moved on from there to establish the church in New Providence, Iowa. Not one railroad was crossed during the trek. Their first meeting house was a log structure that was built in 1854 and was replaced in 1859 after it had been destroyed by a fire. Various additions were made to the building and served the community until 1916 when they constructed this building. The meetinghouse was constructed by Ernie Moon, a local builder and church members. Services are no longer held in the building, which is now owned by the Honey Creek Preservation Group. They maintain the building, sponsor events and maintain records and other information from the church.
Architecture
The meetinghouse is constructed of clay tiles with a brick veneer on the exterior.The building’s main gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
is oriented on a north-south axis, with a smaller front gable that sits asymmetrically on the east side. It contains the main entrance into the building. Behind the entrance is a short square bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
with a crenellated parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
and pairs of elliptical arched openings on each side of the bell chamber. There is a secondary entrance on the north side of the building.
Large segmental arched windows light the interior on the north, south and east sides of the building. All of the other window openings on the building are rectilinear. The main entrance consists of two paneled doors. They open into a vestibule and stairhall, as the meeting room sits a few steps above the entrance. The meeting room occupies most of the main level of the building.
See also
Other properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Hardin County:- First Congregational Church (Eldora, Iowa)First Congregational Church (Eldora, Iowa)First Congregational Church is a congregation of the United Church of Christ located in Eldora, Iowa, United States. The congregation was organized in 1868 and the church building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.-Architecture:...
- St. Matthew's by the Bridge Episcopal ChurchSt. Matthew's by the Bridge Episcopal ChurchSt. Matthew’s by the Bridge Episcopal Church is a parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. The church is located in Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States, at the junction of Oak and Railroad Streets...