The REAL Little Brown Church - Nashua, Iowa
Scroll through this page to see a slideslow of my visit to the church in August, 2019, including a video of me playing "Church in the Wildwood" while sitting on the altar IN the Little Brown Church. I think you'll also enjoy reading the fascinating story behind the origin of this famous hymn.
The Story of the Little Brown Church
When I began writing my new book of favorite hymns, I knew it would include my most favorite hymn, "Church in the Wildwood." This has been my favorite hymn since I was a little kid, but I had no idea that there is an actual Little Brown Church in northern Iowa! But how it got there is even more fascinating.
In 1857, a young man named William Pitts was traveling from Wisconsin to Iowa via stagecoach. He took a short stroll to stretch his legs during one of the stops near his destination, and came across a beautiful wooded scene in a valley along the Cedar River, and thought to himself that it would be a perfect setting for a church. It had left such an impression on him that when he returned home he felt compelled to sit down and write a poem to describe the church he had envisioned in that lovely setting. But when he finished it, he filed it away and forgot all about it.
He returned in Iowa in 1862 to assume a music teaching position at the Bradford Academy, which was near the beautiful woodland scene he had previously enjoyed so much. Imagine his surprise when he saw that there was now a church in that exact same place! His "little brown church in the vale" had come to life! Oh, and its color? Brown, of course -- it so happened that brown was the least expensive paint color to produce during the Civil War years.
Pitts soon located his poem which had long been stashed among his papers, and set it to music. At the church's dedication in 1864, he led his choristers as they performed this hymn. Later he sold his manuscript to a Chicago publisher for $25, and used the money to help finance his education at medical school. He became the town physician, and spent the remaining years of his life in that little town.
Because the church is of the Congregational denomination, it was suggested after the Civil War ended that the church be painted white so as to maintain the Congregationalist tradition of always painting their churches white. But the people all agreed that because of the specialness of Dr. Pitts' hymn, the church should always be painted brown. It still holds worship services every Sunday, and is open every day for visitors. It's a popular wedding destination as well. Every service always ends with its namesake hymn.
You can visit both the church and the Old Bradford Pioneer Village Museum (where Bradford Academy was located) near the town of Nashua, Iowa.
When I began writing my new book of favorite hymns, I knew it would include my most favorite hymn, "Church in the Wildwood." This has been my favorite hymn since I was a little kid, but I had no idea that there is an actual Little Brown Church in northern Iowa! But how it got there is even more fascinating.
In 1857, a young man named William Pitts was traveling from Wisconsin to Iowa via stagecoach. He took a short stroll to stretch his legs during one of the stops near his destination, and came across a beautiful wooded scene in a valley along the Cedar River, and thought to himself that it would be a perfect setting for a church. It had left such an impression on him that when he returned home he felt compelled to sit down and write a poem to describe the church he had envisioned in that lovely setting. But when he finished it, he filed it away and forgot all about it.
He returned in Iowa in 1862 to assume a music teaching position at the Bradford Academy, which was near the beautiful woodland scene he had previously enjoyed so much. Imagine his surprise when he saw that there was now a church in that exact same place! His "little brown church in the vale" had come to life! Oh, and its color? Brown, of course -- it so happened that brown was the least expensive paint color to produce during the Civil War years.
Pitts soon located his poem which had long been stashed among his papers, and set it to music. At the church's dedication in 1864, he led his choristers as they performed this hymn. Later he sold his manuscript to a Chicago publisher for $25, and used the money to help finance his education at medical school. He became the town physician, and spent the remaining years of his life in that little town.
Because the church is of the Congregational denomination, it was suggested after the Civil War ended that the church be painted white so as to maintain the Congregationalist tradition of always painting their churches white. But the people all agreed that because of the specialness of Dr. Pitts' hymn, the church should always be painted brown. It still holds worship services every Sunday, and is open every day for visitors. It's a popular wedding destination as well. Every service always ends with its namesake hymn.
You can visit both the church and the Old Bradford Pioneer Village Museum (where Bradford Academy was located) near the town of Nashua, Iowa.
Learn more about my book, Church in the Wildwood -- Click Here
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