Mother Mosque of America
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The Mother Mosque of America in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the first permanent structure to be built specifically to serve as a mosque in the United States. Construction was completed on February 15, 1934. This small structure served as a place of worship for Muslims for nearly forty years. When a larger local mosque, the Islamic Center Of Cedar Rapids, was built in 1971, the building was sold. Successive owners over the the next twenty years allowed the building to fall in to disrepair.
In 1991 the Islamic Council of Iowa purchased the building, refurbished it, and restored its status as a Muslim cultural center.
The Mother Mosque stands in a quiet neighborhood, flanked by houses on both sides, with a small marker off of 1st Ave pointing the way to this historical site. Due to its small size, the majority of the Muslim population in Eastern Iowa and the Cedar Rapids area worship at other mosques, but the Mother Mosque remains a prominent center for information, prayer, and community.
The Mother Mosque is now listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register of Historic Places as an "essential piece of American religious history, which symbolizes tolerance and acceptance of Islam and Muslims in the United States."
