Skip to main content

Our Savior's Lutheran Church (West Salem, Wis.) Records and and Our Savior's Lutheran Church (La Crosse, Wis.) Records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 041, Micro 14

Scope and Contents note

Records of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1875-1945, located in the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The congregation is still active and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Also included are records from the Our Savior's Lutheran Church in West Salem, Wis. (La Crosse Valley Lutheran Church) from 1856-1952. This church membership included residences of West Salem, Wis., as well as Halfway Creek and the Town of Hamilton, La Crosse County, Wis.

The city of La Crosse church records include baptisms, 1875-1944; confirmations, 1876-1944; marriages, 1876-1945; burials, 1876-1944; daily register, 1876-1931; members of the congregation, 1876-ca. 1945; and members who left the congregation.

Records from the La Crosse Valley Lutheran Church or Our Savior's Lutheran Church in West Salem include baptisms, 1856-1952; confirmations, 1883-1951; marriages, 1882-1952; burials, 1882-1918, and the daily register, 1882-1918.

All records were written in the Norwegian language. The second and third items that were microfilmed had pagination (page numbers), and these are included in the reel list below for item #2 and 3.

Dates

  • 1856-1952; 1875-1945

Creator

Language of Materials

Norwegian

Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for patron use.

Biographical/Historical note

In 1852 the first Norwegian Lutheran church service was held. A congregation, called La Crosse Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, formed in 1861 with services being held in a small rented chapel one Sunday evening a month. Until 1869 services were held at the German Lutheran Church. A church building located at Market Square was purchased in 1869 from the Congregationalists. On November 7, 1869, the first church service was held at this location. Membership in the Norwegian Lutheran Synod was applied for and granted in 1874.

The first parsonage at 7th and Market Streets was purchased in 1875. This same year, the North La Crosse Evangelical Lutheran Church (Trinity Lutheran) was formed as a sister congregation. A lot was purchased on the corner of 6th and Division Streets for the growing congregation of Our Savior's. On September 5, 1886, the church located at 612 Division Street was dedicated. A tower was added to the building in 1900. A new parsonage was built on the lot next to the church in 1908. This parsonage was moved in 1955 to 922 Cass Street to make room for a new church.

Due to the union of the Hauge Synod to which the Norwegian Synod belonged and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church, Our Savior's became part of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America in 1917. This name in time changed to Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1946. In 1960 Our Savior's became part of the American Lutheran Church. The congregation is now affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

A parish educational building was added in 1950; however, more space was still needed. In 1953 the congregation decided to build a new church. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on August 14, 1955, for a new church and education building. The new building was dedicated on February 17, 1957. The congregation is still going strong.

In October 1856, the Synod Lutheran Society (Scandinavian) was organized. Pastor H. A. Stub of Coon Prairie, Vernon Co., Wis., extended his ministry into the area organizing four churches in four valleys: Halfway Creek, Lewis Valley, Bostwick Valley and the La Crosse Valley. Up to 1861 the La Crosse Valley Church was served with the Bostwick Valley Church. Their first church was built in 1876 and was located one mile west and one mile north of West Salem at the junction of Gill's Coulee and Larson Coulee roads.

The Synod Lutheran Society and the Confederation Lutheran Society were formally joined in union as Our Savior's Lutheran Church of West Salem in 1918. This congregation is also still active.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet

Abstract

Records of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1875-1945, located in the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The congregation is still active and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Also included are records from the Our Savior's Lutheran Church in West Salem, Wis. (La Crosse Valley Lutheran Church) from 1856-1952. This church membership included residences of West Salem, Wis., as well as Halfway Creek and the Town of Hamilton, La Crosse County, Wis.

The city of La Crosse church records include baptisms, 1875-1944; confirmations, 1876-1944; marriages, 1876-1945; burials, 1876-1944; daily register, 1876-1931; members of the congregation, 1876-ca. 1945; and members who left the congregation.

Records from the La Crosse Valley Lutheran Church or Our Savior's Lutheran Church in West Salem include baptisms, 1856-1952; confirmations, 1883-1951; marriages, 1882-1952; burials, 1882-1918, and the daily register, 1882-1918.

All records were written in the Norwegian language.

Arrangement

Item #1 is a bound volume of the West Salem or La Crosse Valley church that became known as Our Savior's Lutheran Church (West Salem, Wis.)

Items #2 and #2 are bound volumes of the La Crosse church that became known as Our Savior's Lutheran Church (La Crosse, Wis.)

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Acc. No. 1997-23 purchased by the Archives with gift funds from the Genealogical Society of Utah with permission of Rev. Rachel Mithelman, Pastor, Oct. 1997; originals filmed in July 1981; GSU control number 1306449.

General Physical Description note

1 reel of 35 mm microfilm

OCLC Number

41575523

Processing Information note

Finding aid written by Anita Taylor Doering, Dec. 1997; translation by Amanda Lambert with help from Helen Brieske, March 1999.

OCLC #46940653

Title
Guide to Our Savior's Lutheran Church (West Salem, Wis.) Records and Our Savior's Lutheran Church (La Crosse, Wis.) Records
Status
Completed
Author
Anita Taylor Doering
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the La Crosse Public Library Archives Repository

Contact:
800 Main St.
La Crosse Wisconsin 54601
(608) 789-7136