Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill
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Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill from the southeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 105 University Avenue West, Saint Paul, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1909–1915 |
| Architect | Buechner & Orth |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 100004655 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 2019 |
Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill is a church in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The church building was constructed between 1909 and 1915.
It has a unique design called "Beaux-Arts" style. This style was chosen to match the nearby Minnesota State Capitol building. Because of its special history and architecture, the church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Christ Lutheran Church
The oldest part of the church building, on the north side, was built in 1909. The main part of the church, which faces University Avenue, was finished in 1915. It is made of yellow brick.
The front of the church looks very balanced. It has classic columns and towers on each side. An office section was added to the church in 1962–63. This part now holds offices for the Saint Paul Area Synod, which is a regional group of ELCA churches.
A Long History
The church started a long time ago, in 1868. It was first called the Scandinavian Lutheran Church Society. Later that year, its name changed to the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. In the beginning, church services were held in people's homes or in other buildings.
In 1870, the church built its own first building. But the ground there was sandy, so the building had to be moved in 1875 to a new location.
In 1904, a new pastor named Rev. S.T. Reque joined the church. He stayed for 37 years! In 1909, the church bought the land where the current building stands today. The architects, Buechner & Orth, made sure the new church would look good next to the State Capitol.
The basement of the new church was ready for services by Christmas Eve in 1911. The main part of the church was officially opened on December 5, 1915.
A few years later, the church's name was changed to "Christ Lutheran Church." In 1962, they added "on Capitol Hill" to their name. This was to show everyone how close they were to the state government buildings.
Important Visitors
The church had its largest number of members in 1944. From 1939 to 1952, the pastor was Rev. Joseph Simonson. He was also a chaplain for the Minnesota Senate for 10 years. Later, he was chosen by President Eisenhower to be an ambassador to Ethiopia.
Because of Pastor Simonson's connection, the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, visited Christ Lutheran Church in June 1954. The emperor gave the church a special cross, just like one he gave to a big cathedral in Washington D.C.
In the 1980s, many new families moved into the church's neighborhood. These families came from Southeast Asia and Africa. The church helped these new neighbors by starting a special ministry just for them.
