This beautiful church is where my mother's parents got married 87 years ago. It is the First Congregational Church in Waterloo, Iowa.
My grandparents were married on April 22, 1939 at noon. This picture was taken on April 22, 2026 at 11:39am. I planned my trip so I could be there exactly 87 years to the day.
I got a Bed and Breakfast close by and so passed the church each day I was in Waterloo.
I was in Iowa doing research for a book I am writing about their honeymoon trip.
This picture is from my grandparents wedding day coming out the same doors!
On April 22nd I was able to go inside and see the beautiful stained glass windows with the afternoon light coming through.
Views of the stained glass from the outside and inside.
The beautiful inside. The stained glass was beautiful and there is a balcony. The church I go to doesn't have a balcony so that was a fun treat.
The people at the church were very nice and happy to show me around. There is a day care that uses the church and a parking lot where my grandmas house used to be. One of the things I found most interesting is that my grandma lived right next to the church and there is a park across the street and my grandpa lived across the park and they didn't meet until two years before they were married.
Here is a picture of me sitting in Washington park with my grandpa's house behind me facing the church.
I really enjoyed going to the city of my ancestors and learning about them and going where they went and seeing what they saw. It was a special trip.
[//]:# (!worldmappin 42.491982 lat -92.344023 long First congregational church d3scr)d
