Bucyrus Lutheran Church
509 8th Street NW
Bucyrus, Adams County, North Dakota 58639
509 8th Street NW
Bucyrus, Adams County, North Dakota 58639
HISTORY OF THE BUCYRUS EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
The early church records are incomplete and there are no recorded dates for many important events in the life of the congregation.
The first recorded meeting of this congregation was held on January 8, 1909. At this meeting the Church Constitution was adopted and signed by Reverend August B. Bergh, the Pastor who served the Hettinger congregation at that time, and by the Trustees: O. C. Bergland, C. A. Husby, and John Ahlgren, and the Secretary, Gunder Houge. It was also signed by many of the church members. At the same meeting Gunder Houge was elected Secretary. Arvid Johnson, Martin Erlandson, and Mathias Larson were elected Deacons. C. A. Husby was elected Sunday School Superintendent. The name of the congregation was also adopted Bucyrus Evangelical Lutheran Church. Salary of the pastor was to be $50.00 per year.
Some of the early church members were O. C. Bergland, M. T. Erlandson, Gunder Houge, O. J. Jacobson, John O. Jacobson, Matias Larson, Martin Svenson, Fred Sorum. Tom Berg, Martin Hokenson, C. A. Husby, Ole E. Hanson, John Ahlgren, A. O. Nelson, A. T. Dahl, H. N. Hanson, J. O. Wigen, Andrew Houge, Egil Olson, N. P. Nelson, Jno. Halland, Iver Nelson, Herman Meklenburg, T. Buringrud, Ole B. Hanson, Axel T. Johnson, Ed Ahlgren, A. L. Dahl, Chris Hanson, Arvid Johnson and their families.
There is no record of when the church basement was built but the corner stone is dated May 1910.
Since over $1,000.00 had been raised by subscription toward building a church, a meeting was held in August of 1910 at the lumberyard office of Wahlwend and Stucky to decide on a building. Present at the meeting were: H. N. Hanson, Orvin Jacobson, Frank Stucky, J. O. Wigen, Jon O. Jacobson, Martin Erlandson, Egil Olson, A. L. Dahl, A. O. Nelson, Lars Larson, A. T. Dahl, Andrew Houge, O. C. Bergland, Sim Murphy, and Oscar Cristoferson. They decided to build the present church building, but instead of using the lots purchased from B. J. Stuart for the church, three lots where the church now stands were purchased from John Jacobson for $150.
The church building was erected in late 1910 or early 1911 and not finished inside nor furnished for sometime. Little by little the building was finished on the inside and lighting provided with the help of the Ladies Aid and the Young People's Society.
Early services were held in Norwegian, but as early as 1917 services in Norwegian and English were held on alternate Sundays, and by 1924 every fourth service was in Norwegian.
In 1919 the Parsonage was built. A subscription was taken to raise money for this and the members of the church dug the basement and put in the concrete. Richland and Wolf Butte congregations were also a part of the building committee.
Many improvements to the building have been made over the years. An office was added for the use of the Pastor, water and sewer systems have been put in and the kitchen remodeled. Five young men from the congregation have become Pastors: Rev. Orlean Rue, Rev. Dale Striker, Rev Eugene Elgelstad, Rev. Alton Johnson, and Rev. Ron Nelson.
On October 2, 1960, Bucyrus Lutheran Church held a 50th Anniversary celebration with Rev. Dr. L. W. Tallakson, District President of the North Dakota District on the Evangelical Lutheran Church giving the Sermon and many former members in attendance or sending greetings. Several former Pastors were also in attendance.
Pastors who have served the Bucyrus Lutheran Church have been Rev. A. B. Bergh, Rev. John Holland, Rev. A. L. Dahl, Rev. Casperson, Rev. Erickson Rev. Ivor Dahl, Rev. S. N. Engelstad, Rev. B. L. Schroder, Rev. A. O. Aadland, Rev. O. C. Rolfsen, Rev. R. C Reinholtzen, Jr., Rev. Eugene Hanson. Rev. Robert Hellekson, Rev. Richard Foster, and Rev. Michael Aune.
Info from - Prairie Pioneers: A Story of Adams County pages (pages 75 & 76)
The early church records are incomplete and there are no recorded dates for many important events in the life of the congregation.
The first recorded meeting of this congregation was held on January 8, 1909. At this meeting the Church Constitution was adopted and signed by Reverend August B. Bergh, the Pastor who served the Hettinger congregation at that time, and by the Trustees: O. C. Bergland, C. A. Husby, and John Ahlgren, and the Secretary, Gunder Houge. It was also signed by many of the church members. At the same meeting Gunder Houge was elected Secretary. Arvid Johnson, Martin Erlandson, and Mathias Larson were elected Deacons. C. A. Husby was elected Sunday School Superintendent. The name of the congregation was also adopted Bucyrus Evangelical Lutheran Church. Salary of the pastor was to be $50.00 per year.
Some of the early church members were O. C. Bergland, M. T. Erlandson, Gunder Houge, O. J. Jacobson, John O. Jacobson, Matias Larson, Martin Svenson, Fred Sorum. Tom Berg, Martin Hokenson, C. A. Husby, Ole E. Hanson, John Ahlgren, A. O. Nelson, A. T. Dahl, H. N. Hanson, J. O. Wigen, Andrew Houge, Egil Olson, N. P. Nelson, Jno. Halland, Iver Nelson, Herman Meklenburg, T. Buringrud, Ole B. Hanson, Axel T. Johnson, Ed Ahlgren, A. L. Dahl, Chris Hanson, Arvid Johnson and their families.
There is no record of when the church basement was built but the corner stone is dated May 1910.
Since over $1,000.00 had been raised by subscription toward building a church, a meeting was held in August of 1910 at the lumberyard office of Wahlwend and Stucky to decide on a building. Present at the meeting were: H. N. Hanson, Orvin Jacobson, Frank Stucky, J. O. Wigen, Jon O. Jacobson, Martin Erlandson, Egil Olson, A. L. Dahl, A. O. Nelson, Lars Larson, A. T. Dahl, Andrew Houge, O. C. Bergland, Sim Murphy, and Oscar Cristoferson. They decided to build the present church building, but instead of using the lots purchased from B. J. Stuart for the church, three lots where the church now stands were purchased from John Jacobson for $150.
The church building was erected in late 1910 or early 1911 and not finished inside nor furnished for sometime. Little by little the building was finished on the inside and lighting provided with the help of the Ladies Aid and the Young People's Society.
Early services were held in Norwegian, but as early as 1917 services in Norwegian and English were held on alternate Sundays, and by 1924 every fourth service was in Norwegian.
In 1919 the Parsonage was built. A subscription was taken to raise money for this and the members of the church dug the basement and put in the concrete. Richland and Wolf Butte congregations were also a part of the building committee.
Many improvements to the building have been made over the years. An office was added for the use of the Pastor, water and sewer systems have been put in and the kitchen remodeled. Five young men from the congregation have become Pastors: Rev. Orlean Rue, Rev. Dale Striker, Rev Eugene Elgelstad, Rev. Alton Johnson, and Rev. Ron Nelson.
On October 2, 1960, Bucyrus Lutheran Church held a 50th Anniversary celebration with Rev. Dr. L. W. Tallakson, District President of the North Dakota District on the Evangelical Lutheran Church giving the Sermon and many former members in attendance or sending greetings. Several former Pastors were also in attendance.
Pastors who have served the Bucyrus Lutheran Church have been Rev. A. B. Bergh, Rev. John Holland, Rev. A. L. Dahl, Rev. Casperson, Rev. Erickson Rev. Ivor Dahl, Rev. S. N. Engelstad, Rev. B. L. Schroder, Rev. A. O. Aadland, Rev. O. C. Rolfsen, Rev. R. C Reinholtzen, Jr., Rev. Eugene Hanson. Rev. Robert Hellekson, Rev. Richard Foster, and Rev. Michael Aune.
Info from - Prairie Pioneers: A Story of Adams County pages (pages 75 & 76)