Live in a former Lutheran church in Winterset for $500K
Infused with character and decades of local history, a converted Lutheran church is available to purchase in Winterset, just waiting for an imaginative buyer seeking an out-of-the-ordinary home.
Located at 218 S. Second Ave., the 3,325-square-foot, four-bedroom, sixbath property has been modified into a family residence and sits a handful of blocks from the Madison County Courthouse and the dining and retail scene surrounding the town square.
The home is also a short walk from The John Wayne Birthplace & Museum. Actress Maureen O'Hara, a five-time costar with the Duke, was a repeat overnight guest at the house during her visits to the annual John Wayne birthday celebration in May.
Already substantial in size, the home features an additional 2,500 square feet of opportunity situated below the main building. Sarah Cowman, broker and owner of Homefront Real Estate, has listed the property for $498,000. “For the price per square foot, it's a steal of a deal,” she said.
Built in 1949 for the St. Paul Lutheran Church, the property would become a recognizable landmark, featured on local postcards and easy to spot across from the city's former high school. The pastor once lived in a separate home next door and as the congregation grew, a fellowship hall was added onto the south side of the building in 1986. The religious services have since relocated to a much larger church one mile to the north.
The current homeowners began redeveloping the space in 2005, operating a bed and breakfast out of the newer addition, while helping preserve some of the vintage features. Stained glass windows were replicated from the original designs and the raised altar space with vaulted ceiling was transformed into a dining room.
The open-plan living space includes an office, plus a pantry, laundry area and room for storage. The independent southern section of the house, previously used as a parish hall, hosts two bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen with antique fixtures and its own living room. In the basement, where Sunday school classes were held, the owners operated a small store.
Zoned for both commercial and residential purposes, Cowman has shown the property to potential buyers with both options in mind. “I have some people with aging adults come look at it to have a mom, or mother-in-law suite. Or have elderly parents and kids cohabitate together, but have separate spaces,” she said. “And then I've had other people look at it purely from, ‘I can live there and have income from doing Airbnb, or bed and breakfast, and rent out the basement space for retail.
“It is huge. It would be way too big for me and my kids just to live there. But for somebody that had a business venture, it would be perfect for them,” she added.
As a local, Cowman is also hopeful the next owners will continue the home's connection to the Winterset community. “I showed it a couple weeks ago to a guy who actually got married in that church. So, it's got a lot of history within the town.”
The home is listed at $498,000 by Sarah Cowman of Homefront Real Estate. Contact Cowman at 515-468-0409 for more information and a showing.
Where: 218 S. Second Ave., Winterset Asking price: $498,000 Year built: 1949 Square footage: 3,325 square feet Lot size: 0.30 acres