Union Sunday School (Clermont, Iowa)

Initially, the building housed Clermont Presbyterian Church, which disbanded shortly afterward.^[2] In 1863, the Presbytery and the Union Sunday School entered into an agreement whereby the latter could use the building as long as they were able to maintain it. Organized in 1857, Union was a non-denominational Sunday school for adults and children. Previously they had met in the home of Mrs. Edwin Stedman, the first of seven superintendents.^[3] The most prominent member of the Sunday school was William Larrabee, who spent 18 years in the Iowa Senate, and served two terms as Iowa's governor.^[2] He provided the pneumatic Kimball organ in 1896. His daughter Anna served as the church organist for over 60 years. The instrument, restored by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders in 2010, is still played in concerts. The Sunday school was known throughout the years for its Christmas program.

From 1877, the building also housed Clermont's first lending library. The books were donated by the Larrabee family.^[3] A group of people in town wanted to start Protestant services, and beginning in 1933 the Rev. J.J. Snyder of Elgin, Iowa served as the first minister of what was known as the Union Church. In 1943 the congregation became Methodists. Union Sunday School dwindled in size and disbanded in 1963. At that time it was the oldest organization in continuous operation in Clermont.^[3] The Methodist congregation disbanded in 1966. The Presbytery of Northeast Iowa donated the building to the non-profit Historical Governor Larrabee Home in 1970.

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  Chapel
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  Kimball Organ
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  Plaques