Time Machine: ‘Little Muddy’

I got it wrong.

An email from an observant reader, Galen Wenger, commented on the Oct. 18 Time Machine on the 1892 Federal Building: 'The article was subtitled 'Structure sits on former Baptist church site.' If you have not already been advised, a correction is necessary. The structure sat on a former Presbyterian (First Presbyterian) church site.'

I returned to my notes to check. Sure enough, several sites were submitted to the Treasury Department for the new post office-federal building, and there were two on the corner of Second Avenue and Third Street. The corner that held the former Baptist church was purchased by S.L. Dows in 1892 for $24,500. 'A fine business block will be erected during the coming year on the site,' reported The Gazette.

Instead, the lot chosen for the Federal Building was the Ely corner, opposite the Baptist church. The Ely corner was steeped in local history. It was the site of 'Little Muddy,' the first church building erected in Cedar Rapids.

Founded on July 9, 1847, First Presbyterian Church had nine charter members: John Vardy, Frederick Grambo and his wife Martha, Barnet Lutz and his wife, Isaac Lichtebarger and his wife, and Alexander and Mary Ely. John Vardy was chosen ruling Elder and Alexander Ely, deacon. The members of the little congregation met in a school house for about 18 months without a pastor of their own. The Rev. Bennett Roberts of the Marion Presbyterian Church preached there occasionally until 1849, when the Rev. Williston Jones officially became the church's first pastor. Jones' priority was to get his little flock into a building of their own. Even though they had limited resources, they managed to put together $400 and paid a Dubuque brick maker to begin construction on the church. Instead, the man took the money with him to California for the gold rush.

The pastor and congregation rolled up their sleeves and began the work themselves, creating a humble little church on Adams Street (Second Avenue). They began in the summer of 1859 and finished it in January on a lot contributed by Addison Daniels that, at the time, was some distance from downtown.

A 75th anniversary publication from the church said, 'The stone foundations of the building, 26 by 40 feet, were soon laid. The superstructure was a slow and very tedious process. Troughs of heavy plank, having a width inside of 14 inches and 16 inches high, were laid on the foundations. These were filled with broken stones to the top; then the grout was poured in covering the stone. After hardening, which often required some days, the troughs were raised up, and again filled. This process was repeated till the desired elevation was attained. There were many and various trials all through the raising of these walls. For some three months, the soul of both pastor and people were almost daily vexed by untoward circumstances. No system or regularity of work could be maintained. It often happened in fair days hands were short. Again, in a damp time, when little or nothing could be done to advantage, help was too plenty. The new walls were several times badly washed by heavy rains and those last named accidents gave rise to the sobriquet of 'The Little Muddy', by which the church was familiarly known ever after.'

While it was under construction, it was not unusual for the pastor to take off his coat and help drive the teams hauling the timber, stone and cement. When the walls were completed, there was not enough money to put on the roof, so an appeal was made to friends in Rochester, N.Y., resulting in $100 to finish the work. The building was dedicated on Jan. 12, 1851, and was enlarged 20 feet in 1859. A third addition was added just before the new church was built.

In the fall of 1851, Jones built a house of the same material as the church. He told the young men he was training for the ministry that if they would work on finishing the parlor in the house, it could be used as a school room. That room was the beginning of Coe College. In 1852, the school became known as the Cedar Rapids Collegiate Institute, and moved to 'Little Muddy.'

In 1853, Jones went to the Presbyterian General Assembly in Buffalo, N.Y., and met with Daniel Coe, an elder in the Presbyterian church who was very interested in Christian education. Coe listened to Jones' story and gave him $1,500 to purchase 80 acres, where the college was built.

First Presbyterian's new chapel was constructed in 1867 at Madison Street and Park Avenue, now Third Avenue and Fifth Street, for about $35,000. It later was enlarged and improved for another $12,000 in 1886.

The last service in 'Little Muddy' was on Feb. 28, 1869, the same day that the new First Presbyterian Church was dedicated. Little Muddy still was used for Sunday school, prayer meetings and social gatherings for several years after that.

'It was taken down in the late summer or early fall of 1876,' remembered Pastor-emeritus Dr. Edward R. Burkhalter in 1922. 'I am happy to remember that it stood on the rear end of the lot now occupied by the post office, when I visited the church with a view to a possible call to its pastorate in June 1876, but when I returned as pastor-elect to take up my work here in September 1876, it had been removed.'