St. Paul Lutheran Church

One and One-Fourth Miles Stately church edifices frequently have humble beginnings and so with St. Paul Lutheran Church, one of South Dakota’s finest. The humble log church pictured hereon was erected in 1867 by the members of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation by Brule Creek, an organization created August 12, 1863 but who had no permanent pastor.

It was ready for use by Christmas 1868. The name had been changed to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Dakota. The first church council were Kjell P. Ronne, Helge Mathiason and Thomas Olesen. The seats, pulpit and millwork cost $39.50 and its first permanent pastor was (1) J.E. Nesse, who served from 1869 to 1881.

The church was used as a parochial school, a common school and a polling place but as the congregation grew, an acre of land across the road to the west was acquired in 1877 and the new church with a high steeple and bell was built and used until 1923. (2) David Lysness served as pastor until his death in 1890 followed by (3) O.T. Nelson, who served until 1895 being succeeded by (4) P.J. Reinertsen and on July 9, 1922, the present beautiful church was dedicated.