Bell removed from flood-damaged Cedar Rapids church

Crews from Coonrod Wrecker & Crane Service and Rinderknecht Associates on Wednesday removed the 106-year-old cast iron bell from the bell tower of the former Salem United Methodist Church, 225 First Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids.

The bell rang each Sunday for 104 years until the June 2008 flood heavily damaged the landmark building. The 4,000-pound bell was moved Wednesday to a concrete pad at the congregation's new location.

Salem United Methodist has purchased a building at 3715 33rd Ave. SW formerly occupied by New Creation United Methodist Church. Mark Minger, member of Salem United, said the bell will serve as a memory of the church, along with stained glass windows and two cornerstones that were removed previously.

“We would like to incorporate the bell and as many of the stained glass windows as possible if we build a new church,” Minger said. “We hoping to put two of the windows in shadow boxes and display them in the church that we expect to occupy in late October or November.”

Minger, who rang the bell for the last time on June 13, 2009, to mark the one-year anniversary of the flood, said the church was very much a part of the neighborhood.

“We always called it the ‘heart of the city,' and now it will be gone,” he said. “The fellowship hall was built with a hardwood floor that was used as a basketball court. A number of the schools around here used it before they were able to build their own gym.”

Bob Thompson, who joined Salem United in 1963, will be sad to see the church fall victim to the wrecking ball.

“I have a lot of pleasant memories,” Thompson said. “We had a little water in the basement in the past, but nothing like we saw in 2008. It was really a surprise.”

Historian Mark Stoffer Hunter said Salem United Methodist, previously Zion United Evangelical Church, was the second church building to stand on the corner of First Avenue and Third Street SW.

“There was an older 1887 building that stood on this corner, so this was an important piece of Cedar Rapids history,” Hunter said. “It was part of the sounds of the neighborhood as well as being a visual piece of history.

“Interstate 380 changed this neighborhood 35 years ago and the flood of June 2008 changed it again.”

Minger said the City of Cedar Rapids purchased the church and adjacent property across the alley as part of the flood buyout program. He said a final deconsecration service will be held at 4 p.m. Sept.12.

“It will be a short service, but it will be the last service held here,” he said.