King Chapel restoration Fun Facts

By Dee Ann Rexroat | November 1, 2024

The regional, North American, and global firms that assessed King Chapel since it sustained structural damage in the 2020 derecho have accumulated some fascinating forensic knowledge … and we added a few points of our own.

1915 image of the Mount Vernon stone quarry
This 1915 photo of the Mount Vernon Quarry was found in King Chapel’s rafters. Some stone was cut there before the quarry went bankrupt. Most stone came from the Stone City Quarry, and all the stone arrived by horse and wagon.
This partial letter found in King Chapel describes the early construction stages and several points of interest.
This partial letter found in King Chapel describes the early construction stages and several points of interest.

3: number of robotic systems continuously monitoring the building’s stability

18: tons of steel that will be used to support the walls during restoration

30: number of seconds the chapel was designed to flex slightly at winds of about 100 mph

45: number of minutes the chapel flexed at winds up to 140 mph 

19: number of inches the roof was bowed in the middle

8,000: square feet of insulation that has been removed and blown back into the attic

200: height in feet of some of the required repair equipment

129: height in feet of the clocktower

400: millions of years ago that the Anamosa, Iowa, limestone used to build the chapel was formed

5: number of different mortar mixes used on the stone since construction began

1876: year the cornerstone was laid

1976: year King Chapel was named to the National Register of Historic Places

2nd: King Chapel’s place on the ugliest buildings list, according to Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright was wrong.

Follow updates on King Chapel restoration online.