DM Historical Society Tour Aug. 25/Kingsway Cathedral "The Kathedral"
Sarah Oltrogge
Please join us Saturday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.- Noon for a fascinating look at this historic church. See our YouTube video at: http://youtu.be/qrtJ7JlZWaE
Des Moines Historical Society to Host Tour of Kingsway Cathedral
DES MOINES – A 110-year-old church that has survived fire, freeway construction and deterioration and abandonment will be the subject of a Des Moines Historical Society (DMHS) tour this month.
The public is invited to take an inside look at the rise and fall and rise again of The Kathedral Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, from 10 a.m.-noon. The Kathedral, formerly known as Kingsway Cathedral, is located at 901 19th Street in Sherman Hill. DMHS members may attend at no charge; non-members are welcome to join and pay dues the day of the event in order to participate. Membership information may be found at www.desmoineshistoricalsociety.org.
Built in 1901 and designed by architects Proudfoot and Bird, The Kathedral served as the home for Grace Methodist until 1926. From 1926-1932 it was the Midwest base church for the Foursquare, which then incorporated its congregation with 40 other churches to form The Open Bible Denomination, which is still headquartered in Des Moines. The church building was then sold to Echoes of Calvary which later established the Kingsway International with hundreds of churches worldwide. Kingsway Cathedral housed the organization until 2003, when it was widely rumored the City of Des Moines ordered the building closed because of structural problems. The issue over whether to demolish the structure or rehabilitate it has been controversial ever since.
Kingsway officials tried to gain permission from the city to demolish the building, but those plans were derailed largely by resistance from preservationists and city staff. The issue was taken to the Iowa Supreme Court where church officials and developers lost an appeal seeking a demolition permit. In 2008, it was listed on the Des Moines Rehabber’s Club “Most Endangered Properties” list and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a resource in the Sherman Hill Historic District.
KLM International, an international evangelistic organization founded by Pastors Kenney and Neja Linhart, bought the property in 2010. Their intention is to not only restore the church with its pre-1917 stained glass dome, steeples and gables, but also to restore the campus that once thrived on the northwest corner of the Sherman Hill District.
The public will hear from church leaders about the efforts to save this piece of Des Moines history while touring its magnificent interior. The campus plans also include transforming a 1930s-era gas station, formerly located in East Village, into a youth center for the church.
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The Des Moines Historical Society has the purpose of promoting the preservation and study of the history and heritage of Des Moines, Iowa. To this goal, DMHS works to get the community engaged and involved in Des Moines' rich history by holding special events and quarterly meetings with relevant topics. Visit www.desmoineshistoricalsociety.org for more information.
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