Iowa Old Press

Des Moines Sunday Register, June 5, 1938

SECTION ELEVEN

STARTS HUNDREDS OF HONEYMOONS

In Bradford, Ia., now a ghost town, the Little Brown Church in the Wildwood has stood since 1864.  Made internationally famous by the hymn of the same name, the church is the setting for hundreds of weddings, last year’s total (in 1937) being 774.  

The hymnal at the old organ opens to the famed hymn, The Church in the Wildwood, without the turning of a leaf.  NOTE the commandment stamped above title of the song — Thou Shalt Not Steal - Ex. 20:15

The picture series on this news page includes a typical Brown Church wedding.

  1. Signs like this one directed Anthony Cramer, Vera Thorp and their bridal party, all of Minneapolis, Minn., to the Little Brown Church from nearby Nashua, Ia.  Couples come even from foreign lands to marry at the humble church, which attracts 50,000 tourists yearly.
  2. The Pastor, the Rev. William Kent, starts the ceremony at the organ with “Lohengrin.”  Sometimes Church Organist Edna Cook come from “down the road away,” to play.  In the background is a replica of the original organ.  “The Little Brown Church” was composed by Dr. William Pitts, Bradford singing teacher, before the church was built.  The crude structure is almost unchanged from its original state.
  3. “Dearly Beloved…”  The Rev. Mr. Kent starts the simple Congregational ceremonies uniting Anthony Cramer and Vera Thorp.  Matron of Honor is Mrs. S. F. Askov, Vera’s sister; Bestman is Mr. Askov.  A fee of $5 is accepted for a wedding, the Pastor receiving payment at the discretion of the bridegroom.  The “wildwood” has given way to fields, now, but a grove still surrounds the church.  Civil War hard times delayed completion of the church until 1864, although construction was planned in 1860.
  4. “The Little Brown Church” is played at the organ by the Rev. Mr. Kent as the wedded couple marches away.  Note the closeup picture of the keys of the replica of the original organ.  Where ivory has been stripped by souvenir hunters from the keys, “Thou Shalt Not Steal” has been inscribed.  The church was originally painted brown, the pastor says, because that color was low in price.
  5. At the Rear of the Church the bride rings her own wedding bell.  Later the bridegroom takes his turn.  Then both tug at the rope.  The longer the bride rings, the longer her happiness will last—so says tradition.  Many a bride tugs for 15 or 20 minutes.  The Rev. Mr. Kent believes there are few divorces among couples married at the Little Brown Church.  

[transcribed by L.Z., Aug 2022]


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