St. Paul's United Church of Christ of Laramie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Paulus Kirche
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St. Paul's today, as seen from the north. The main structure was built in 1890–91 while the eastern section was added in 1922.
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Location | 602 Garfield, Laramie, Wyoming |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | Berner, George |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004266 |
| Added to NRHP | November 25, 1983 |
St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Laramie, Wyoming, is a very old and special church. It was started in 1886 by people who spoke German. This made it the first German-speaking church in all of Wyoming! The church building itself is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Contents
Discovering St. Paul's Church
A Church with a Long History
The first stone for the church building was placed on July 13, 1890. This was just three days after Wyoming became a state! Many important people attended the ceremony. These included church leaders from Chicago and local Christian, Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches.
A special speech was given by Dr. John Wesley Hoyt. He was a former Governor of Wyoming Territory. At that time, he was also the first president of the University of Wyoming. The church building was finished and opened on January 18, 1891.
Oldest Church in Laramie
St. Paul's is the oldest church building in Laramie. It has been used continuously by the same group of people since it was built. This makes it a unique part of Laramie's history.
The church looks a lot like old German churches. It has beautiful stained glass windows. It also has heavy wooden furniture inside. Its special windows and simple Gothic architecture style make it stand out. It is truly unique among Lutheran churches in Wyoming.
How the Church's Name Changed
The church's name has changed several times over the years. These changes show its history and how different church groups joined together.
Early German Roots
When the church first started, the people spoke and worshiped in German. Its original name was Deutsche Evangelische Lutherische St. Paulus Gemeinde. The church building itself was called St. Paulus Kirche.
In 1903, the group officially became a corporation. They joined the Evangelical Synod of North America in 1904. At this time, their name became St. Pauls German Evangelical Church of Laramie, Wyoming. You might notice the name didn't have an apostrophe in "St. Pauls." This is because German language rules don't use apostrophes in the same way English does.
Mergers and New Names
Later, in 1934, the Evangelical Synod joined with another group called the Reformed Church in the United States. Because of this, St. Pauls changed its name in 1949. It became St. Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church of Laramie, Wyoming.
Then, in 1957, the Evangelical and Reformed Church joined with the Congregational Christian Churches. This created a new, larger church group called the United Church of Christ. So, in 1963, the Laramie church changed its name again to St. Paul's United Church of Christ. Since 1974, the church has been known by its current name: St. Paul's United Church of Christ of Laramie.
St. Paul's During Difficult Times
During World War I, St. Paul's was sometimes called "the German church" by local people. The church and its German-speaking pastor, Rev. O.G. Wichmann, faced some challenges. There were concerns and rumors because of anti-German sentiment at the time.
The last sermon preached in German at the church was in 1932. This marked a change as the church fully transitioned to English services. In 1976, St. Paul's made history again. It became the first church in Laramie to have an ordained woman serve as its pastor.
