Whittemore Iowa
Proud of our past... Excited for our future
Churches
St. Paul Lutheran Church The early immigrants found themselves isolated from their church and in much need of instruction, comfort, and encouragement. The nearest Lutheran Church was in Lotts Creek, but travel in 1884 was difficult, to say the least. The Rev. C.F.W. Maahs, the pastor at Lotts Creek, helped the Whittemore faithful organize as "The German Evangelical Lutheran of St. Paul's Congregation, U.A.C."
The original constitution was signed by citizens with last names still common in Whittemore to this day; Meyer, Bell, Bass, Schultz, and Siems, to name a few. By 1886, the members had their own pastor when Rev. Wm. Faulstich was installed, and by 1891 a new church building was dedicated.
St. Michael Catholic Church
The first Catholic Mass in Whittemore was offered by Fr. Dennis McCaffrey , a resident pastor from Algona, on September 19, 1880 in the public school building. Over the next seven years, the number of settlers increased, creating the necessity for a church building. A committee was established, consisting of Whittemore pioneers Anthony Schmitt, Adam Domek, John Besch and Patrick Higgins. Under the guidance of Fr. Michael Nichols, another resident pastor from Algona, the church was completed in 1889.