Cromwell Center Reformed Church

Fostoria, Iowa





Modern Church Near Fostoria



Clay county has a modern rural church, the Cromwell Center Reformed Church, teaching the faith of the Reformed Church in America which was founded in New Amsterdam in Colonial times. This is located seven miles west of Fostoria and its members are proud of the fact that, following a fire in 1926, a new edifice has been built at a cost of $1,100 and is entirely free from debt.

The Cromwell Center church is Clay County's most beautiful rural church, built of brick and having modern improvements. Even an electric lighting plant is owned by the church which was purchased by the Ladies Aid Society at a cost of $600. The basement is fitted for serving church dinners, as well as for the church parlors and class rooms. In the main part, large motifs in free hand drawing decorate the ceiling. A large stained glass window is next to the road and the glass over the door imitates this so closely that it is hard to tell it is not hand painted on one piece of glass.

The Cromwell Center congregation was organized some 38 years ago and, by a coincidence, it now enjoys a membership of 38 families. The cemetery was platted at the time of organization and evergreen trees were set around it. Christmas trees for the congregation can be cut from the evergreens on their own premises indefinitely as they need to be removed now to allow those remaining to grow and shape.

The old frame building, with which the congreation started, was struck by lightning in the steeple two years ago and burned. The pastor at that time was Rev. John Schaefer. Services were held in a school house until the new edifice was completed. Members of the families in the parish are largely members of descendants of families who moved to Clay county from Ackley and other towns near there 38 years ago.

Rev. E. Kampman, who came to the church as pastor in November, 1927, from Lennox, South Dakota, with his wife and little daughter Caroline, occpy a comfortable parsonage adjacent to the church. Rev. Kampman was pastor at Lennox for four years and he holds services in both English and German languages.

From Spencer News Herald December 20, 1928

The cemetery mentioned is now called First Reformed Church Cemetery It is located seven miles west of Fostoria on 150th Avenue (CR-B14) on the south side of the road, or northeast of Everly at 2820 150th Avenue.