Bethel AME Church (Iowa City, Iowa)

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic African American congregation and building in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The congregation was established in 1868 mostly by free people of color from the south and the rest from the north. James W. Howard, a member of the congregation, bought property in a recent addition to the city and sold the southern half to the church for $50.[2] This white frame church was built on the property the same year. Iowa City has always had a small African American community and over the years the congregation grew and declined in numbers and in finances. The original church, which is 600 square feet (56 m²) and has room for 50 people, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.[1] The congregation outgrew the small church and a new 4,000-square-foot (370 m²) sanctuary was built in 2010 that holds three times the current congregation's size.[3]

Bethel AME Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The church in 2009 before the expansion project
Location	411 S. Governor St. Iowa City, Iowa
Coordinates	41°39′22″N 91°31′23″W
Built	1868
NRHP reference No.	00000925[1]
Added to NRHP	September 27, 2000

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. Jan Olive Nash. "Bethel AME Church". National Park Service. Retrieved 2017-05-06. with photos
3. Rachel Gallegos (February 25, 2010). "Bethel A.M.E. works hard on project". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Retrieved 2010-02-25.