Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 114: William LaBarthe Steele Part 9: United Orthodox Synagogue

At one time Sioux City had 3 or 4 Jewish Synagogues. Over the decades they have merged into the 2 that are still here today. One of these is the United Orthodox Synagogue. The Queen Anne style building, located at 14th and Nebraska Streets was dedicated on September 1, 1901. William L. Steele was not the architect who designed the original building. What Steele did design was a classroom addition that was added in the 1920's. The building has also been updated with modern siding, windows and doors. It is a nice combination of Queen Anne and Prairie School styels of architecture.

The synagogue is on the National Register of Historic Places:
Mount Sinai Temple (added 1999 - Building - #99001268)
Also known as United Orthodox Synagogue
1320 Nebraska St., Sioux City
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Burkhead, G.W., Steele, William L
Architectural Style: Prairie School, Queen Anne
Area of Significance: Architecture, European
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Religion
Historic Sub-function: Religious Structure
Current Function: Religion
Current Sub-function: Religious Structure

A digital scan of a short news paper article from the October 3, 1955 edition of the Sioux City Journal, page 1 about the merging of the synagogues:


Digital scans of an article in the May 25, 2004 edition of the Sioux City Journal, pages A1 and A9:



Digital scan of information in the thesis Sermons in Stone. It is number 41:


The synagogue as it looks today:

Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 113: William LaBarthe Steele Part 8: Sioux City Baptist Church

Sioux City Baptist Church was formely called 1st Congregational Church. It is also known as the church with the white dome. Designed by William L. Steele a dome was not a typical design on a Christian church. This church building is unique in that is was designed and built with one. Located at the corner of 13th and Nebraska Streets the building is a Prairie School design, with the exception of the dome.

At a cost of $80,000 to build the new church, the cornerstone for the church was laid on January 12, 1917, the first anniversary of the fire of the original church that was located at 8th and Nebraska Streets. The cornerstone is from the original 1889 structure that was destroyed in the fire and likely the only surviving piece.

The original 1889 building was the first of the large church buildings constructed in Sioux City. Though not designed by William L Steele the readers of this blog will see the impressive collection of large church buildings Steele either designed or designed a remodel.

The former 1st Congregation Church, current Sioux City Baptist Church is on the National Register of Historic Places:
Sioux City Baptist Church ** (added 1979 - Building - #79000953)
1301 Nebraska Ave., Sioux City
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Steele,William
Architectural Style: Prairie School
Area of Significance: Architecture
Period of Significance: 1900-1924
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Religion
Historic Sub-function: Religious Structure
Current Function: Religion
Current Sub-function: Religious Structure

Digital scan of the article from the Sioux City Daily Tribune January 13, 1917 page 11:


Digital scans of an article called an Architectural Gem and a drawing from the thesis Sermons in Stone:




Photo's of the church as it looks today:

Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 112: William LaBarthe Steele Part 7: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

William L. Steele designed the edifice of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

Located at 900 6th Street on the eastern side of downtown Sioux City the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is the oldest Greek Orthodox church building in Iowa and the largest in physical size.

The history of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox begins in 1918, when more than five hundred Greeks, living in Sioux City, attended a meeting at a Knights of Columbus hall. Until then, the more than a thousand Greeks who had come to work in Sioux City's meatpacking industry traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, one hundred miles away to the south, for occasional services. Led by Paikos K. Pappaphilipopoulos (who later Americanized his name to Peter Nelson), the Greek community started a fund drive and purchased a corner property near downtown for $35,000 in 1920. The parcel included three houses, one of which they used as a temporary church.

The cornerstone was laid in in the spring of 1925 on Annunciation Day and the church was completed by September of that same year. The church was formally dedicated on October 4, 1925. The church continues to serve as the parish house of worship to this day. Holy Trinity Church is listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings and is one of four churches selected by the local museum for its "Sacred History Tour" of the city.

The church still stands as a testament to the perseverance of it's members. In February of 1996, a fire gutted the church's interior. A sixteen member renovation committee raised the $600,000 needed to restore the interior. Under the direction and efforts of architect Christ Kamages of San Francisco, iconographer Elias Damianakis of Florida and woodcarver Steve Kavroulakis of Crete, the community acquired a new altar, sanctuary, narthex, iconostasion, and iconography. Metropolitan Iakovos of Krinis, rededicated the church in June 1999 and called Holy Trinity "a jewel of the Midwest."

Here is the info. from the National Register of Historic Places:
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (added 1998 - Building - #98000381)
900 6th St., Sioux City
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Steele, William L., Reische & Sanborn
Architectural Style: Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals
Area of Significance: Architecture, European
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Religion
Historic Sub-function: Religious Structure
Current Function: Religion
Current Sub-function: Religious Structure

The digital copy of the micro film of the October 4 and 5, 1925 edition of the Sioux City Journal about the churche's dedication:




Here are the photo's I took of the church:

Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 111: William LaBarth Steele Part 6: Scottish Rite Temple

William L. Steele not only designed commercial and government buildings and houses but he also designed religious buildings. He has many churches to his credit. He was a devout Catholic and was very good friends with the Bishop of Sioux City and the diocese. As a result it is felt his reputation preceded him and he is credited for designing more then just Catholic churches and buildings. In May of 1994 Brian Charles Hughes wrote a Thesis called Sermons in Stone The Ecclesiastical Designs of William LaBarthe Steele. In the thesis is most if not all of the religious buildings are cataloged. One of the religious buildings he designed was the now Scottish Rite Temple.

The Scottish Rite Temple was not always the Scottish Rite Temple. Originally it was the Knights of Columbus Recreation Center. The building was completed and opened as the recreation center on February 8, 1926. The building was designed by William L. Steele and is a classic example of Prairie School architecture. The recreation center building had a swimming pool, basketball court, men's and women's locker rooms and showers. It is also thought it had a bowling alley as well. There are plans that show one, but no proof it was ever installed.

By 1937 the building had been in receivership for a number of years. The diocese would not bail the Knights of Columbus out. In the September 9, 1937 edition of the Sioux City Tribune there was an article stating Judge F. H. Rice set 10 a.m. Saturday for a hearing on the sale of the building for $40,000. According to an order filed in district court G. Y. Skeels, trustee of the building has asked approval of the sale to W. B. Whiting, Rotary, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. The title of the order is G. Y. Skeels, trustee vs. the Columbus Community center, et. al. The building had been in receivership 6 years prior to the sale in 1937. Which means it only lasted as the recreation center for 5 years.

After the Scottish Rite purchased the building they put about $122,500 to cover remodeling and furnishings for the new Scottish Rite Temple. The building was dedicated as the Sioux City Scottish Rite Temple on November 27, 1938.

Here is a short article and photo from the Sunday October 25, 1925 edition of the Sioux City Journal about the Knights of Columbus Recreation Center:


Here are photo's of the inside and outside of the building as it looks today:

Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 110: William Labarth Steele Part 5: Florence Crittenton Center

Over the last 126 years the Crittenton Center has evolved to meet the needs of children and families. It started out by helping women and children experiencing homelessness and personal crisis with no other place to go. Today the Crittenton Center Mission is to foster independence and dignity in partnership with families.

Along with evolving to meet the changing needs of families the Crittenton Center has also changed physical location. One of these locations is an empty building that still stands today which William L. Steele designed.

Its location is at 1105 28th St. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. It is in much need of repair. WHen I stopped to take the photo's of the building I talked with a woman who lives in the neighborhood. I asked a little about the building. It has been empty for at least 15 years, if not more. Unfortunatly it has attracted a criminal element of sorts. She told me people break into it and deal/do illegal drugs and use it for prostitution activities. She wishes whom ever owns it would do something with the building, but does not want to see it torn down because of its historical value to the community. The building does need a lot of work to restore it. It could be turned into something useful, like a community center or apartments.

I fear the building is destined to be torn down. That will mean another piece of history will be lost to the ravages of the wrecking ball. It would likely be because of those that only see this building as an attraction for criminals and they think that by removing the building the criminal element goes away and the building will be eventually lost to time.

The goals and focus of the Crittenton Center will survive no matter the physical location. It would be nice that an historical building they used to occupy would also survive from being demolished.

Here is the info. from the National Register of Historic Places:
Florence Crittenton Home and Maternity Hospital (added 2000 - Building - #00000306)
Also known as Crittenton Center
1105-1111 28th St., Sioux City
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Beuttler & Arnold, Beach & Steele
Architectural Style: Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals
Area of Significance: Social History, Health/Medicine, Architecture
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949, 1950-1974
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Health Care
Historic Sub-function: Hospital
Current Function: Domestic, Work In Progress
Current Sub-function: Multiple Dwelling

Here is a chronological history of the Crittenton Center:
History of Crittenton Center

Here is some more info. about the Crittenton Center:
About Us - The Crittenton Family of Agencies
Crittenton Center - IA - Sioux City

Here are the photo's of the building: