Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church is a congregation in the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) located at the intersection of Barr and Madison Streets in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Founded in 1837, it is the second oldest Lutheran church in Indiana and the oldest in the northern part of the state. Thanks largely to its size and to the leadership of its pastors, it has long played a prominent role in Indiana Lutheranism and in the LCMS as a whole.

Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Saint Paul's in 2012
Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Fort Wayne, Indiana) is located in Indiana
Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Fort Wayne, Indiana) is located in the United States
Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Location1126 S. Barr St., Fort Wayne, Indiana
Coordinates41°4′32″N 85°8′8″W
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1889 (1889)
ArchitectWing & Mahurin
Architectural styleGothic
NRHP reference No.82000058[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 1, 1982

The present church building was first completed and dedicated in 1889, but a 1903 fire forced a near-complete rebuild of the structure. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

History

The congregation was organized in 1837 and erected its first church building in 1939, on the same site as the present building. Growth of the congregation led to a larger church building being constructed in 1847, with an addition in 1862. Although two daughter congregations branched off to form new parishes during the next two decades, it again became necessary to provide more ample facilities.

The new building was designed by the architectural firm of Wing & Mahurin in the High Victorian Gothic style. By September 15, 1889, a large church had been erected. On December 3, 1903, a major fire left it in ruins. Reconstruction was soon underway, and by April 1905 it had been restored to its former glory. During the late 1940s the church underwent renovation and has had other improvements and enhancements as time went on.[2][3]

The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 1, 1982.[1]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Saint Paul's Lutheran Church - History. Retrieved on June 24, 2013.
  3. "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved July 1, 2015. Note: This includes T. Wayne Jones and Rosella Foelber (January 1990). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church" (PDF). Retrieved July 1, 2015. and Accompanying photographs

Further reading
  • Bertram, Martin H., A Brief History of St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana (1962)
  • Burger, Mildred L., A Short History of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne: Fort Wayne Public Library, 1967)
  • Sauer, H. G. and J. W. Miller, Geschichte der Deutschen Ev.-Luth. St. Pauls-Gemeinde zu Fort Wayne, Ind., vom Jahre 1837 bis zum Jahre 1912 : Zum fünfundsiebzigsten Jubiläum der Gemeinde (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1912)
  • West, Thomas E. and Joan E. West, Now Thank We All Our God: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church 175th Anniversary (Fort Wayne: 2012)
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