About Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church
Religion, Other Temples, Interesting Places
Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church is located northwest of the unincorporated community of Dorchester, Iowa, United States. It and the church yard form a nationally recognized historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church established the Waterloo Ridge Church, which was incorporated on March 25, 1869. The first trustees were Hans Johnson Gaare, John Svenson, and Peter Martinson; with Anders Larson and Ole Clauson acting as incorporators as well. Their first church building was a stone structure. It was replaced by the present frame Gothic Revival structure that was dedicated in 1913. It was erected for around $15,000. An iron gate was built over the walkway into the church. The script on the archway reads in Norwegian: Kom til Guds Hus (Come to Gods House). The Waterloo Ridge Cemetery is located in the churchyard.
