Swedish Zion Lutheran Church and Cemetery

This lovely old stone church is less than a mile south of the Canada/U.S.A border in north-central North Dakota.  It's a landmark in the community and is known to the locals simply as the "Little Stone Church."

The flying buttresses help to keep the walls straight and secure.

Posted just inside the double swinging doors was a comprehensive history of the church.  A well deserved "thank you" to the person or persons responsible for sharing the history of their congregation.  Here is a brief summary:   

The Swedish Lutheran Congregation was formed in 1896 and held Sunday services in member's houses for the first few years.  In 1902 a tithing plan was implemented to raise money for the construction of a church where each member donated one cent per bushel of wheat he harvested that year.

An appointed and generous secretary donated the land for the church and cemetery.  A mason from Chicago, along with his two apprentices, were hired to construct the church and together with volunteers from the congregation began construction of the church in the spring of 1903.  The church was opened for services later that same year.

The view from the cemetery.

A main "family" marker with individual headstones for each family member.

The church looks really quite inviting.

The original door and latch as seen from inside the church.  Lots of hands have opened this door over the past one hundred and sixteen years.

The interior of the church was renovated in 1953 for the fiftieth anniversary and the wallpaper was added at that time.

Most all of the historical Lutheran churches in the surrounding area still have these "old-fashioned" kneeling altars.

The walls are two feet thick of solid cut stone.  Lots of kids have sat in this window well.

Building this church must have been hard, back-breaking work...horses, ropes and man-power were the modern conveniences of the day.  While the church was being built members of the congregation would have been busy with their day-to-day lives...planting and harvesting their crops, getting the kids off to the one-room-school, tending the farm animals ...these were tough and determined people.

It was good so see that the church and cemetery were still maintained after all these years.  If you ever have a chance to visit this historical place, please make a donation to preserve it.  There is a little donation box at the back of the church...every little bit goes a long way to help preserve the past.

Almost forgot...the mason and his two helpers were paid $400.00 for the construction of the church.  Money well spent.

I hope you enjoyed the "Little Stone Church."

Photographed on December 15, 2018.