King Memorial Chapel is located on the Cornell College

Cornell College

Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows...

 campus in Mount Vernon, Iowa

Mount Vernon, Iowa

Mount Vernon is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, adjacent to the city of Lisbon. The city's population was 3,390 when the 2000 census figures were released, but that number was later revised to 3,808 because the Census Bureau had incorrectly reported that 418 residents of a Cornell...

. The chapel was completed in 1882 and is built of Anamosa Limestone

Anamosa Limestone

Anamosa Limestone is a dolomitic limestone quarried out of Stone City, Iowa, which is located along the Wapsipinicon River about two miles west of Anamosa, Iowa. It is distinguished by its uniform texture, color, and banding, its durability and most of all by its distinct veining. This distinctive...

 quarried in nearby Stone City, Iowa

Stone City, Iowa

Stone City is an unincorporated community in Jones County, Iowa, United States. Stone City began as a company town for the workers of the local quarries. Stone City is known for its Anamosa Limestone quarries, historic limestone architecture, and 1930's art colony...

, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 since 1976.

History

The cornerstone was laid in 1876, but one month later, with the walls half up, the contractor went bankrupt and skipped town. The main tower, with its Seth Thomas clock

Seth Thomas Clock Company

The Seth Thomas Clock Company began producing clocks in 1813, and was incorporated as the "Seth Thomas Clock Company" in 1853. The clock at Grand Central Terminal in New York City was manufactured by the company...

, is almost 130 feet high and can be seen from miles away as it shoots up from the hilltop campus. King Chapel is the site of the annual convocation

Convocation

A Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.- University use :....

 at the commencement of the school year as well as the baccalaureate service in the spring for graduating students. The chapel has a Moller

M. P. Moller

Mathias Peter Møller was a prolific Danish organ builder. He was a native of the Danish island of Bornholm. He founded the M.P. Moller Pipe Organ Company in Greencastle, Pennsylvania in 1875...

organ with 3,800 pipes and is often the site of musical performances.