Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church (Ham Lake, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church
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The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church from the northeast
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| Location | 2200 Swedish Dr., NE Ham Lake, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1872 |
| Architect | Per August Gustafson |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001189 |
| Added to NRHP | December 26, 1979 |
The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church is a very old and important building in Anoka County, Minnesota. You can find it at 2332 Swedish Drive in Ham Lake, Minnesota. This church was built in 1872. It has a special look called Late Victorian style. A person named Per August Gustafson designed it.
This church is so important that it's on the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes buildings that are special because of their history or design. The church is cared for by the people of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in East Bethel, Minnesota. Sometimes, people call it Our Saviour's Lutheran Church of Ham Lake. Both churches are part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
How the Church Began
The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church has a long and interesting story. It started in 1872. The land for the church was given by Johan and Fredrika Magnuson. They donated the land after their two daughters, Alida and Emilia, sadly passed away from a sickness called typhoid fever.
Because of this sad event, a cemetery was needed. The daughters were first buried in their front yard. But when the church was finished, their coffins were moved. They became the very first graves in the church's cemetery.
Early Days of the Church
When the church was first built, there were no pastors living nearby. This meant that if families wanted a church service, someone had to travel. They would go all the way to Anoka to pick up a pastor. Then, they would bring the pastor back to Ham Lake for the service.
Over the years, the church community grew. They needed new buildings as time went on. Even though the "Old Church" is not used as much today, it is still a very important part of the history of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.
In 1964, the church community moved to a different building. However, the old church is still used for worship services at certain times of the year. The community now calls this historic building Our Saviour's Chapel.
