OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
Minnesota Historical Society
Center for the
Documentation and Preservation of Places of Worship (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Project to Document
Places of Worship records.
[193-]-[194-], 1989-1991.
Photocopies of historical data sheets and
background and supporting information collected by local volunteers on more
than 150 Protestant and Catholic congregations, church buildings, Sunday
schools, "preaching places," and missions located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Includes photocopies of historical data collected from the late 1930s to
mid-1940s by Kustaa A. Lehto, perhaps as part of his work on a Work Projects
Administration historical documentation project.
0.8 cu. ft. (1 box).
See [Detailed Description](a9) for shelf
location.
HISTORY OF THE PROJECT TO DOCUMENT
PLACES OF WORSHIP
The Center for Documentation and Preservation of Places of Worship
(formerly the Project to Document Places of Worship) conducted a two-year
survey (1988-1990) of historic places of worship in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing,
and Morrison counties in northern Minnesota, and among the Mille Lacs Band of
Chippewa Indians. The project was funded by the Minnesota Historical Society
and the American Association for State and Local History. Marilyn J. Chiat and
Carol Frenning of the Center served as project directors.
Information was collected on 425 buildings in the four counties.
Survey forms typically include the name of each building's architect or
builder, a description of the building, a brief history of the congregation and
its building program, a bibliography of photos and documents for research, and
any significant artwork in the building. The buildings that were documented
were primarily rural houses of worship that represented congregations
established by early settlers. In some cases, the worship buildings were the
only remnants of these early communities.
The survey work was conducted by local volunteers in association with
county historical societies under the supervision of two paid staff members,
who trained all the volunteers. A training manual was developed for the
volunteers that included sample survey forms, instructions for taking
photographs and conducting interviews, sample letters to send to interview
subjects and congregations, and a glossary of architectural terms and styles.
The project was later allied with the National Conference of Christians and
Jews in Minnesota and the Dakotas, and sought funding to expand the geographic
scope of its documentation work.
Most of the above information was taken from an article entitled
"Documenting Historic Churches and Synagogues: Preservationists Take the Lead
in Recording Religious Architecture" by Catherine Goulet of the Philadelphia
Historic Preservation Corporation.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION
The collection consists of photocopies of data sheets, and related and
supporting historical documentation, about places of worship in Cass County,
Minnesota. It includes copies of newspaper clippings, published church
histories, photographs, correspondence, and notes, memoranda, and miscellaneous
papers. There are also photocopies of typewritten notes and narratives made by
Kustaaa Lehto, perhaps in the course of his work on the Minnesota Historical
Records Survey in the 1930s and 1940s. The material was originally organized
into three looseleaf notebooks, which were later disassembled by unknown
persons.
Data sheets for active congregations and Sunday Schools ("Form B")
give the name of the individual congregation, noting its denomination, ethnic
affiliation, and its previous names and the names of predecessor bodies; the
current address of the congregation; the name of its clergy; the names of
architects and/or contractors involved in the construction of the church
building; the dimensions and a description of the building; information about
any "significant" art present in the building; information about its organ; and
historical notes about the congregation and its building. There is space for
noting any "significant" photographs or documents, as well as any other
attachments to the original form. The data for some congregations is much more
extensive than it is for others. A different form ("Form C") was completed for
disbanded congregations and Sunday schools. There are no data sheets for places
of worship located in Aitkin, Crow Wing, or Morrison counties, or from the
Mille Lacs reservation.
There is also a printed Guide to the Collection
(1991), which is essentially a project report for the entire project. It
contains summary data tables on religious buildings surveyed in all five of the
counties involved in the project and on the Mille Lacs reservation.
This material came to the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript
collections from the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office.
RELATED MATERIALS
Kustaa Lehto's papers are in the Minnesota Historical Society
manuscript collections.
Reports from other projects undertaken by Chiat and Frenning are in
the Minnesota Historical Society book collection.
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Topics:
Bahais--Minnesota.
Baptists--Minnesota.
Catholics--Minnesota.
Church buildings--Minnesota.
Church work with Indians--Minnesota.
Congregationalists--Minnesota.
Episcopalians--Minnesota.
German Americans--Minnesota.
Indians--Minnesota--Missions.
Lutherans--Minnesota.
Methodists--Minnesota.
Missionaries--Minnesota.
Nazarenes (Church of the Nazarene)--Minnesota.
Norwegian Americans--Minnesota.
Ojibwa Indians--Minnesota--Missions.
Seventh-Day Adventists--Minnesota.
Sunday schools--Minnesota.
Swedish Americans--Minnesota.
Places:
Cass County (Minn.)--Church history.
Cass County (Minn.)--History.
Persons:
Chiat, Marilyn Joyce Segal.
Frenning, Carol.
Lehto, Kustaa.
Organizations:
Ah-Gwah-Ching Nursing Home (Minn.).
American Sunday-School Union.
Assemblies of God--Minnesota.
Christian and Missionary Alliance--Minnesota.
Minnesota Historical Society. State Historic Preservation
Office.
United Church of Christ--Minnesota.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series
here]. Center for the Documentation and Preservation of Places of
Worship Project Records. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional
examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 15,804
Processing Information:
Processed by: David B. Peterson, March 2004
Catalog ID number: 002888847
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
147.B.14.4F
Background information,
1991.
This file includes the article "Documenting Historic Churches and
Synagogues" mentioned in the historical background narrative above.
Guide to the Collection,
1991.
This document by Marilyn J. Chiat and Carol Frenning includes a
description of the project, background information, and data tables.
Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa,
1990.
Book 1:
Introductory pages.
Ansel Township:
Oak Grove Evangelical Lutheran Mission/Oak Grove Union
Sunday School.
Birch Lake Township:
Church of Eternal Hope (Hackensack)
(nondenominational).
Presbyterian Sunday School (Hackensack).
Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Hackensack).
St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Hackensack).
Seventh-Day Adventist Church (Hackensack).
Union Congregational Church/United Church of Christ
(Hackensack).
Blind Lake Township:
Blind Lake Mission.
Blind Lake Tabernacle.
Lincoln Union Sunday School/Blind Lake Union Sunday
School.
Boy Lake Township:
Brevik Lutheran Church.
Brevik Union Sunday School.
Boy River Township:
Boy River Log Chapel/Oak Hills Mission.
Faith United Fellowship.
Oak Hills Mission.
Zion Harbor - Bible Camp.
Zion Lutheran Church.
Bungo Township:
Bungo Church (Missouri Synod Lutheran).
Byron Township:
Christian Alliance Church.
DeLine Church (Presbyterian).
Ellis Lutheran.
Hazel Dell Presbyterian Church.
Union Sunday School.
Crooked Lake Township: Outing:
Narrows Community Church (non-denominational).
Our Saviors Lutheran Church.
Wesleyan Methodist Church (no data, cover sheet only).
Deerfield Township:
Deerfield Community Ladies Aid.
Northern Gospel Mission.
South Deerfield Sunday School (Church of the
Nazarene?).
Fairview Township:
Dolly Union Sunday School (American-Sunday School
Union).
Rush Brook Union Sunday School.
Gould Townships (East and West):
Congregational church (Federal Dam).
Federal Dam Evangelical Lutheran Mission.
Federal Dam Sunday School (Oak Hills Fellowship).
First Christian Scientist/Church of Christ.
First Methodist Episcopal Church (Federal Dam).
New Life Church of Sugar Point (West Gould) (Indian).
Our Saviors Lutheran Church (Federal Dam).
Sacred Heart Catholic Church (formerly St. John's)
(Federal Dam).
Zion Harbor (Federal Dam).
Home Brook Township:
Cory Brook Gospel Tabernacle (Ameican Sunday-School
Union).
Homebrook Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Pleasant Hill Community Church (nondenominational).
Pleasant Hill Union Sunday School (American
Sunday-School Union).
Kego Township:
Brevik Community Chapel (American Sunday-School
Union).
Brevik Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Free Lutheran Church.
Longville Bible Chapel (nondenominational).
Longville Community Church (nondenominational).
Longville Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Salem Lutheran Church (Norwegian American).
St. Edwards Catholic Church (Longville).
Silver Lake Union Sunday School (American
Sunday-School Union).
Lake Shore Township:
Port View Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Leech Lake Township:
Chippewa Bible Church of Squaw Point (Northern Gospel
Mission) (Ojibway).
Loon Lake Township:
Kedron Free Church (Lutheran) (Norwegian).
Maple Township:
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod).
Lund Scandinavian Lutheran Church (Norwegian).
Servants of God ("Two by Twos").
Stony Brook Sabbath School (Seventh Day Adventists).
May Township:
Birch Hill Union Sunday School.
Full Gospel Assembly (Assemblies of God).
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Missouri
Synod).
Welcome Union Sunday School (Pillager) (American
Sunday-School Union).
McKinley Township:
Bethlehem Lutheran (Backus).
Union Church (Church of God).
Meadow Brook Township:
Northern Light Gospel Mission (Pine River)
(Mennonite).
Sun Valley Lutheran (Pine River) (ELCA).
Moose Lake Township:
Maple Grove Union Sunday School (American
Sunday-School Union).
Book 2:
Pike Bay Township:
Christian and Missionary Alliance Church (Cass Lake).
Covenant Indian Fellowship (Cass Lake).
Heritage Indian Baptist Mission (Cass Lake).
First Congregational Church (Cass Lake).
Hart Lake Lutheran (Norwegian).
Immanuel Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) (Cass Lake).
Light House Pentecostal Church of God (Ojibway) (Cass
Lake).
Lutheran Fellowship of the Cross (Cass Lake).
United Methodist Church/First Methodist Episcopal
Church (Cass Lake).
St. Charles Catholic Church (Cass Lake).
St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Cass Lake).
[Lutheran preaching place/"3 old churches"] (Cass
Lake).
Pine Lake Township:
Evangelical Free Church (Whipholt) (Swedish).
Silver Lake Union Sunday School (American
Sunday-School Union).
Pine River Township:
Faith Assembly of God (Pine River).
Faith Lutheran Church (Pine River).
First Methodist Church (Pine River).
Gospel Tabernacle.
Grace English Evangelical Lutheran Church (Mildred).
Lutheran churches and preaching places
(miscellaneous).
Methodist Episcopal Church of Pine River.
Mildred Bible Chapel (nondenominational).
Mildred Community Church (Congregational).
Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (Pine River).
Pine River Baptist Church.
Riverview Tabernacle (Pine River)
(interdenominational).
Seventh Day Adventists.
United Methodist Church.
Ponto Lake Township:
Harriet Union Church ("leaned toward Methodist").
Lake Harriet Union Sunday School.
Lowe Union Sunday School.
Poplar Township:
Poplar Gospel Tabernacle (Staples) (Assemblies of
God).
Powers Township:
[no name] Catholic Church (Backus).
Church of the Nazarene (Backus).
Immanuel Lutheran Church (Backus) (Missouri Synod).
Lakeside Baptist Church (Backus).
Methodist/Episcopal Church of Backus.
Union Congregational Church of Backus.
Remer Township:
Bethany Lutheran Church (Remer).
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (Remer) (Missouri
Synod).
Mason Memorial Congregational Church (United Church of
Christ) (Remer).
Methodist Episcopal Church (Remer).
Remer Alliance Church.
St. Paul's Catholic Church (Remer).
Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Rogers Township:
St. Cecelia Catholic Church.
Salem Township:
Salem Union Sunday School (Ameican Sunday-School
Union).
Book 3:
Singobee Townships (North and South):
Ah-Gwah-Ching Chapel.
Assembly of God Church (Walker).
Bahais (Walker).
Calvary Free Church (Walker) (Swedish).
Church of the Good Shepherd (Onigum).
Community Church (Walker) (originally Congregational).
Emanuel Free Lutheran Church (Walker) (Norwegian).
Gospel Tabernacle (Walker).
Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church (Walker).
Leech Lake Menighed (Leech Lake Lutheran Church)
(Norwegian).
St. Agnes Catholic Church (Walker).
St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church and
Guildhall/Child Development Center (Onigum).
Zion Harbor Ministries (Federal Dam).
Sylvan Township (East):
Assembly of God Church (Pillager).
First Baptist Church (Pillager) (Swedish).
First Lutheran Church (Pillager).
Gull River Ladies Aid (Gull River)
(nondenominational).
Gull River Norwegian Lutheran Church (preaching
place).
Hardy Lake Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Seventh Day Adventist Church (Pillager).
Sylvan Methodist Episcopal Church.
Sylvan Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Thunder Lake Township:
Thunder Lake Union Sunday School (American
Sunday-School Union).
Trelipe Townships (North and South):
North Daggett Union Sunday School/Snell Union Sunday
School (American Sunday-School Union).
Turtle Lake Townships (North and South):
Leech Lake Menighed/Lutheran Church (Norwegian).
Unorganized township #5:
[Unidentified frame building with a sign on it saying
"Gospel Services," location not specified.]
Bena Alliance Church.
Bena Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Christian Missionary Alliance Church (Bena) (Native
American).
St. Matthew's Mission (Bena) (Protestant Episcopal;
Native American).
St. Anne's Catholic Church (Bena).
Wabedo Township:
Wabedo Union Church (nondenominational, leaning toward
Methodist).
Wahnena Townships (East and West):
Oak Hills Sunday School and K.Y.B. classes (Oak Hills
Fellowship, Inc.).
St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Walden Township:
Maple Hill Lutheran Church (Pine River) (Norwegian).
Pine River Community Church (Mission)
(nondenominational).
Wilkinson Township:
Gibson Union Sunday School (formerly Varco Union
Sunday School) (American Sunday-School Union).
Raboin Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Wilkinson Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Wilson Township:
Parish Union Sunday School (American Sunday-School
Union).
Woodrow Township:
North Daggett Union Sunday School (American
Sunday-School Union).
Indian mission on Cass Lake.