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West Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (La Crosse, Wisconsin) Records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 047, Micro 20

Scope and Contents

These records are from the Colman Methodist Episcopal Church, organized Oct. 18, 1887, and renamed West Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in 1894. The church records include members (official and probationers), 1887-circa 1921; baptisms, 1887-1941; marriages, circa 1887-1934; and burials, 1887-1921. All records were written in the English language.

Dates

  • 1887-1941

Creator

Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for patron use.

Historical Note

Colman Methodist Episcopal Church was organized Oct. 18, 1887, and renamed West Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in 1894. In 1945, West Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church merged with the Salzer Memorial Church and First Methodist Church to form Asbury United Methodist Church.

Asbury Methodist congregation was officially organized in June 1946. The congregations of the Salzer Memorial Church, First Methodist Church, and the West Avenue Methodist Church were combined into two groups after a fire destroyed the Salzer church and a need for a church in the southern section of South Side La Crosse was apparent. The First Methodist Church became Wesley Methodist while most the West Avenue and Salzer congregations became the Asbury congregation. Ground was broken for the Asbury United Methodist Church at 19th and Redfield Streets in September of 1947. The cornerstone for the church at 1818 Redfield St. was laid on May 17, 1948. While construction of the new church was taking place, services were held in the Longfellow School auditorium. On November 21, 1948, the first services were held in the new church.

The church is built in Gothic style and is finished in light-colored brick with Bedford stone trim. The seating capacity of the church is 329 persons and there is also a balcony. Other features of the church are a sanctuary, a chapel, church parlor, dining room, kitchen and educational wind. Remodeling and an addition of the church started in July 1963. Two above-ground floors and a basement partially underground were erected adjacent to and west of the existing structure. The kitchen was remodeled and addition were made to the classrooms, a pastor's study, church school office, choir rehearsal, storage room, nursery and a crib room. In March 1964 the consecration of a new three-level Christian education building was held.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

These records are from the Colman Methodist Episcopal Church, organized Oct. 18, 1887, and renamed West Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in 1894. Asbury United Methodist Church in La Crosse was formed in 1945 as the result of a merger of the Salzer, First, and West Avenue Methodist congregations.

The church records include members (official and probationers), 1887-ca. 1921; baptisms, 1887-1941; marriages, ca. 1887-1934; and burials, 1887-1921.

All records were written in the English language.

Arrangement

Originally there were three churches on this reel of microfilm. For patron ease, these have been spliced apart. As a result, this reel starts with item 2 instead of being labeled item 1. If the original volume had pagination (page numbers), then these are included in the reel list below.

Acquisitions Information

(Accession no. 1997.023)

Purchased by the Archives with gift funds from the Genealogical Society of Utah with permission of Dr. Larry Moody, Pastor, Oct. 1997; originals filmed in July 1981; GSU control number 1306452.

General Physical Description

1 reel of 35 mm microfilm

OCLC Number

47043585

Processing Information

Finding aid written by Anita Taylor Doering, Dec. 1997.

Title
Guide to the West Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (La Crosse, Wisconsin) Records, 1887-1941
Status
Completed
Author
Anita Taylor Doering
Date
1997 December
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