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Trinity Lutheran Church (La Crosse, Wis.) Records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 043, Micro 16

Scope and Contents note

Records of the Trinity Lutheran Church include baptisms, 1876-1939; confirmations, 1876-1888, 1892-1939; marriages, 1878-1918, 1925-1938; burials, 1877-1939; daily registers, 1876-1939; lists of members of the congregation, 1876-1888, 1902-1925; and communion records, 1889-1916.

Also included with the Trinity Lutheran documents are records of the Bostwick Valley Church. These materials include baptisms, 1855-1917; confirmations, 1862-1871, 1877-1894; communion records, 1859-1909; marriages, 1864-1909; burials, 1862-1936; members of the congregation, 1856-1887, 1861-1877; and daily registers, 1861-1870, 1877-1912.

Originally there were two churches on this reel of microfilm. For patron ease, these have been spliced apart. The original volume that was microfilmed had pagination (page numbers), and these are included in the reel list below.

Dates

  • 1876-1939, 1855-1936

Creator

Biographical/Historical note

Trinity Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation was organized on January 5, 1875. Services were conducted in the Andreas Julesburg Hall, located at 1317 Avon Street, by December 1879. A decision was made to buy a lot in the Northern Addition on February 6, 1883, to use as a school and assembly building. That congregation was dissolved on February 3, 1885. However, nine days later the congregation reorganized as the Trinity Lutheran congregation. Trinity Lutheran united with Our Savior's congregation in 1888.

In April of 1890, the Skramstad property, located on the corner of Charles and Sill Streets, was purchased and a new church made of brick veneer was built. On October 12, 1890, the first services were conducted in the new church. Also in 1890, Trinity joined the United Lutheran Church in America. In 1891, additions were made and the church was remodeled. Worship was conducted in English once a month starting in 1891.

A merger of the United, Hauge, and Synoden churches was completed in 1917. The Trinity property was sold and the congregation dissolved to create a new congregation organized under the name "Trinity." The records of the old "Trinity" end on October 22, 1919.

On March 30, 1952, ground breaking ceremonies for a new church were started. Final services were held at the old church on March 15, 1953. A new Parish Education Building was dedicated on March 24, 1957. This new building was connected to the church by a tunnel. Trinity Lutheran became a member of the American Lutheran Church on January 1, 1961. A new parsonage south of the Parish House was dedicated on April 21, 1968.

No information could be found regarding the history of the Bostwick Valley [Norwegian Lutheran ?] Church. Possibly a Norwegian Lutheran minister served the Bostwick Valley congregation in addition to another parish.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

Norwegian

Abstract

Records of Trinity Lutheran Church, 1876-1939, located on the North Side of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The congregation is still active and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Records include baptisms, 1876-1939; confirmations, 1876-1888, 1892-1939; marriages, 1878-1918, 1925-1938; burials, 1877-1939; daily registers, 1876-1939; lists of members of the congregation, 1876-1888, 1902-1925; and communion records, 1889-1916.

Also microfilmed with the Trinity Lutheran documents are records of the inactive Bostwick Valley [Norwegian Lutheran ?] Church which may have been affiliated with one of the predecessor groups that merged to become Trinity Lutheran Church. Bostwick Valley is located in the Town of Barre, La Crosse County. These records include baptisms, 1855-1917; confirmations, 1862-1871, 1877-1894; communion records, 1859-1909; marriages, 1864-1909; burials, 1862-1936; lists of members of the congregation, 1856-1887, 1861-1877; and daily registers, 1861-1870, 1877-1912.

All records were written in the Norwegian language.

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. Ted Dewald, Pastor, Oct. 1997; originals filmed in July 1981; GSU control number 1306450.

General Physical Description note

1 reel of 35 mm microfilm

Processing Information note

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

OCLC #46940674

Title
Trinity Lutheran Church (La Crosse County, Wis.) Records.
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