First Lutheran Church (Houston) facts for kids
|
First Lutheran, Houston
|
|
.jpg) |
|
 Location in Texas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1311 Holman St., Houston, Texas |
|---|---|
| Area | 1.2 acres (0.49 ha) |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Northrop, Joseph W. Jr.; West, James |
| Architectural style | Lombard Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 06001066 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | November 21, 2006 |
First Lutheran in Houston is a very old and important Lutheran church. You can find it at 1311 Holman Street in Houston, Texas. It is also known as First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston. This church is part of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The building you see today was built in 1927. It has a special design called Lombard Romanesque style. Because of its history, the church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
History of First Lutheran
Early Beginnings
The First Lutheran Church started a long time ago. On July 1, 1851, a group of Lutherans began their church. Their leader was Pastor Caspar Messon Braun. They named it Erste Deutsche Evangelische Lutherische Kirche. This means "First German Evangelical Lutheran Church." The state of Texas officially recognized the church in September of that year.
Their very first church building was made of wood. It was located at the corner of Texas Avenue and Milam Street.
New Buildings and Names
In 1901, the church congregation grew. They built a new church building. This one was made of red brick and sandstone. Pastor William L. Blasberg led the church at this time. The new building was at the corner of Texas Avenue and Caroline Street.
By the mid-1920s, the church was often called First Evangelical Church. But later, it went back to its original name, First Lutheran.
A Modern Home
In 1926, the church decided to build an even newer home. Pastor Detlev Baltzer was the leader then. They hired an architect named Joseph W. Northrop Jr. He designed the new church building and its campus. The new location was on Holman Street.
Joseph W. Northrop Jr. was a well-known architect. He had moved to Houston to help build the original Rice Institute. Today, that is Rice University. James West was the main builder for the church. Other companies helped with parts like electrical work.
The First Lutheran Church is also a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical place in Texas. A special marker for the church was put up in 2002.
Since 2004, the Houston Saengerbund has met at the church. This is a group that enjoys singing together.
