Traer United Presbyterian Church located at 307 Walnut Street pictured on Thursday, March 20. The congregation is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TRAER – From its perch roughly halfway up the Walnut Street hill, Traer United Presbyterian Church (Traer UPC) occupies a tranquil spot under the trees. And after 150 years as an official Presbyterian congregation – most of those years spent at the Walnut Street location – the church’s faithful membership is gearing up to celebrate.

“We are one of the oldest congregations in Traer,” Traer UPC Pastor Brice Hoyt said on Wednesday, March 20, while giving the newspaper a brief tour of his church located at 307 Walnut Street. “[We have] right around 60 active members. A lot of churches today, people don’t want to [outright] join the church so we have a lot of young families who attend but are not on the membership [rolls].”

Traer UPC was first established in 1875 by former members of Tranquility Church, a Presbyterian church founded by ‘hardy Scottish pioneers’ in 1860 some five miles west of Traer.

According to the Traer UPC quasquicentennial (125th anniversary) book “Faithfulness Through the Generations,” the first official meeting of the Traer congregation was held in the basement of the old Congregational Church on Jan. 28, 1875.

“Permission had been given at the 1874 fall Presbytery, held in Cedar Rapids, to hold a series of meetings in the town of Traer and if it was the ‘wish of the people and for the best interests of Christianity,’ a United Presbyterian Church would be organized,” the quasquicentennial book states before later adding, “… 20 of the 127 members at Tranquility asked to be released, to form the nucleus of the new Presbyterian Church in Traer. The Rev. James Turnbull helped organize the church, with 34 charter members.”

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

For a brief time, services were held in the Congregational Church basement with Rev. Turnbull serving both Tranquility and Traer before David Livingston was called in 1876. The following year, in 1877, the congregation erected its first building – a frame structure with two towers built on the present church site for $4,000.

In 1912, a new church was authorized to be built. While it was being constructed, services were again held in the Congregational Church basement. The new church, still in use today, was completed in 1913 for a total cost of $40,000. A public dedication ceremony was held in March 1913.

In tandem with the church’s 1912 construction, a barn was built northeast of the church for rural members to park their horses and buggies while attending services. The barn was eventually torn down in 1967.

In 1963, Tranquility closed its doors due to declining membership; most of Tranquility’s remaining members transferred to Traer UPC.

Church architecture

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

For those unacquainted with Traer UPC, it is certainly one of the more unique church buildings in the area due to its dome, a design feature donated by member David Clark in memory of his wife and daughters.

The new church was described in a 1913 edition of the Star Clipper newspaper (a predecessor of the North Tama Telegraph) as being built in the “colonial style.”

“It is constructed of iron spot brick, with asbestos shingles and gravel roof. The main floor seats 260, while [Sunday] school rooms in the balcony will accommodate 200. … The building is amply heated by steam, the kitchen is fully equipped. The church will stand for generations as a monument to its builders.”

When asked to comment on the unique design of the building with its white pillars out front and distinctive dome, Pastor Hoyt said it was a “federal design,” but he had no idea why such a style was chosen. It’s worth noting, the church’s quasquicentennial book does not address the design decision either.

The building appears to be an ‘Adam style’ (federal architectural style) design. Adam style originated in Scotland in the 18th century and features curved walls, domes, and pilasters (columns) – attributes prominent in Traer UPC’s 1912 building.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“It looks like a post office,” Pastor Hoyt said with a chuckle.

While the dome is certainly a conversation piece when viewed from the exterior, from the interior, it is marvelous to behold with its pastel, multicolored glass filling the sanctuary ceiling: ringed beneath by coordinating domed exterior windows.

The sanctuary’s original M.P. Moller pipe organ – donated in 1913 by the children of charter members Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. McCornack – is also a showstopper.

“It’s the oldest unrestored organ in Iowa,” Pastor Hoyt said.

Through the years, the 1912 building has undergone many remodeling projects, including in 2013 — a full century after the building’s dedication — when an addition and elevator were constructed on the east side of the building to address both space and accessibility issues.

Pastor Brice Hoyt plays Traer UPC’s pipe organ on March 20. The organ, donated in 1913 by the children of charter members Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. McCornack, is located at the front of the sanctuary and is said to be the oldest unrestored organ in Iowa. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Traer Food Pantry

“Much has happened and there have been many changes since that [first organizational] meeting on Jan. 28, 1875,” Traer UPC’s quasquicentennial book proclaims. One thing that has seemingly not changed over the last 150 years, however, is the church’s stated purpose to “serve others by sharing the love and good news of Jesus Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit.”

To that end, over a year ago, the congregation began housing the Traer Food Pantry in the church basement.

“We are part of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank,” Pastor Hoyt explained. “We work with C.H.A.T. [Christian Hands Across Traer], North Tama Schools, and area churches. All the churches provide food, while we also provide the building.”

The volunteer-operated pantry mostly serves families residing in the North Tama County Community School District plus older residents on fixed incomes.

Traer United Presbyterian Church member Sandra Sheda volunteers in the Traer Food Pantry on Wednesday, March 20. The pantry, located in the church basement, is a joint venture of Christian Hands Across Traer (C.H.A.T.), North Tama Community School District, and Traer area churches. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“We are open every day from 9 (a.m.) to 3 (p.m.) except for Sunday,” Pastor Hoyt continued. “We ask no questions (of our clients). If they’re hungry, we want them to have food. Take the food you need. It’s like going to a small grocery store.”

Since Traer UPC began hosting the pantry back in January 2024, Pastor Hoyt said C.H.A.T. has purchased anywhere from 300 to 500 pounds of food per month on top of donations received from area churches and/or individuals which include toiletries and diapers.

The congregation’s decision to host the food pantry (it was previously housed at another Traer church) would most certainly be included in a church sesquicentennial book. And while no such book is in the works this time, a poem simply titled “Churches” by Illinois minister Chauncey R. Piety (1885-1972) featured on page 11 of the quasquicentennial book seems as relevant to the congregation today as it did 25 or even 150 years ago.

Churches!

Thank God for the sight of them,

The beauty, the dreams, and the right of them.

In country and city, on mountain and moor,

Churches with welcome at the door.

Churches that silently testify,

With spires and crosses reared to the sky,

That make us think every time we look,

Of god and right and the Holy Book.

Churches!

Thank God for the heart of them,

The people who live as a part of them.

Praying and learning the things of to do,

Giving and laboring, proving them true.

Mastering lethargy, selfishness, fear,

Dreaming of Heaven, building it here.

Churches!

Thank God for the scope of them,

For the aims and the deeds and the hope of them.

150th Celebration

In honor of its 150th anniversary, Traer United Presbyterian Church is planning a special worship service in early August during the Winding Stairs Festival. For updates, refer to the Traer United Presbyterian Church public Facebook group.

Those who were baptized, married, etc. at Traer UPC and would be willing to share photos of such a milestone for use during the 150th celebration this summer are asked to email christupc@gmail.com.

Worship at Traer UPC takes place every Sunday beginning at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome, but for those who can’t make it, the outstretched branches of the church’s trees along Walnut Street are always available to those in need of a tranquil stroll.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER