Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church

Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church sits all alone out in the rolling farm country of northeast Iowa. Norwegian immigrant families built it in 1912 as wood-frame Gothic Revival church with a tall steeple with the old cemetery sitting right beside it. This quiet rural road lets you set up from the roadside or the fields to get the tall steeple against the big open sky. The area is open and peaceful so can either pair the church by the wide open farming landscape or set up on the other side and use the treeline as a lush backdrop. Walking the cemetery lets you experiment with closer frames of the old headstones, many carved with Norwegian names. The churchyard gate still has its original Norwegian details. Early or late sun spreads slowly across the ridge and lights the steeple well. Remember it is still an active country church, so time your visit around services to respect the worshippers and also keep your frames clear. The grounds and cemetery are open to walk and explore at anytime of day. You'll find it off Dorchester Drive, a short drive out of town. (Dorchester, Iowa, USA)