Salem Lutheran Church Records

Collection

Identifier: Mss 2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Salem Lutheran Church records have been organized into three series: Correspondence, Ladies Aid Society and Subject files. The initial folder with the finding aid also contains a student paper written in 1993 by Linda Tupa regarding the church. The Correspondence, Minutes & Histories Series contains only several letters including the resignation of Rev. Merland T. Johnson in 1936. The meeting minutes are several notes for 1923-1925, and in 1936 concerning calling a new pastor. The proposed constitution is an undated typed draft. The various anniversary files contain programs, newspaper clippings and some correspondence. The Ladies Aid Society Series papers include a proposed and final constitution, both undated, and a short history of the ladies aid written in 1932 in conjunction with the church's 60th anniversary. The Subject Files Series include biographical material including on the Rev. O.E. Dolven, John Headland and S.P. Nokken families, and various handwritten Sunday School reports in Norwegian for 1898 to 1902 and 1905. Other files include shipping tags for the church bells, newspaper clippings on the dedication of the completion of U.S. Highway 81 and various special issues of the Valley Lutheran.

Dates

1898-1957.

Creator

Salem Lutheran Church (Cass County, N.D.) (Organization)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection are not held by the Institute for Regional Studies.

History

Salem Lutheran Church was organized on October 4, 1872 in the log cabin of Peder Nokken five miles south of Moorhead, Minnesota on the Red River as the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Rev. N. T. Ylvisaker organized the church on a missionary journey to the Red River Valley. In 1874 they built a church in Moorhead which they closed in 1878 deciding to find a suitable place in Fargo, North Dakota. In 1879 they changed their name to Our Savior's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation. In 1891 they completed construction of the present structure south of Fargo alongside U.S. 81. In 1892 they changed their name to Salem Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. The congregation remained active celebrating its 75th and 85th anniversaries. In August 1970 the congregation was dissolved with the church and cemetery becoming the property of the Salem Cemetery Association.

Extent

.2 Linear Feet (.2 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Lutheran Church originally located in Moorhead, Minnesota before its members moved it to its present site south of Fargo along U.S. Highway 81.

Provenance

Donated by Mrs. Roscoe S. Brown, 1961 (Acc. 1161)

Separated Materials - Photographs

The following items have been removed from the Salem Lutheran Church records and sent to the section indicated. Photographs (Institute Photograph 421)

9 images: Salem Lutheran Church, group from 1932 and 1947 anniversaries, and of relaying cornerstone, 1955.