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Hidden in Plain Sight: Iowa's Own Tiffany Windows

Home of the 5th largest collection of Tiffany church windows in the United States, St. Luke’s has more Tiffany windows than any other church in the state of Iowa!

The church was built in 1896 and is called “one of the five finest Religious Tiffany collections in the world.” The Angel in the window of the “Angel Among the Lilies” is rumored to bear the likeness of the young deceased daughter of the people who had sponsored that window.

The church’s windows were created by Louis Comfort Tiffany in New York.

Each window is unique, with a different name, message, and biblical quotation, as well as an amazing display of Tiffany’s glass artistry. Some of the windows include: The Angel Among the Lilies, The Baptism of Christ, The Good Shepherd, The Ascension of Christ, Christ and the Children, and The Good Samaritan.

Louis Comfort Tiffany’s glass is located worldwide, and Iowa is lucky to be one of those locations. St. Luke’s welcomes visitors who want to see the beauty of the windows with their own eyes. They have a tour guide stationed in the Church from 8:00-11:00am on Monday, Wednesday & Friday from Memorial Day until the end of October. Other tours are by appointment and they also have a video that can be played at times when a tour guide is not available. In addition, they have general visitor hours Monday through Friday throughout the year from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.stlukesumcdbq.com/tiffany-windows/.

IPR met up with Duane Hagerty, President of Heritage Works, and a Dubuque Historic Preservation Consultant, to learn more about the church’s Tiffany Windows.

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church is located at 1199 Main Street in Dubuque, Iowa.

The church can be contacted through Ora Uzel, Administrator’s Assistant at dbqstluke@gmail.com or 563-582-4543.

Tiffany’s works abound in Iowa, not only at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Dubuque, but also at a temporary exhibit at the Figge Davenport. Running now through May 19th, Davenport’s Figge Art Museum is hosting Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Museum exhibit.

Jacqueline Halbloom is a Sr. Music Producer and Classical Music Host