National Register of Historic Places

Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Sheldahl, Story County, Iowa
Listed
May 10, 1984
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
84001599

About this property

Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church is a historic building located in Sheldahl, Iowa, United States. The community was platted by Osmund Sheldahl and J.S. Polk. Sheldahl was a lay Lutheran minister who settled in Illinois in 1845. He and three others came to this area in 1854 in search of cheap available land. The following year, 21 families that had organized themselves as the "Palestine Congregation" relocated to Story County. Sheldahl became a large land owner and the regular pastor for Palestine Lutheran Church in 1860. He built a house in town in 1877 and he and his two sons built this church building in 1883. Osmund Sheldahl served the congregation as an unpaid pastor for 13 years. His will stipulated that the church building be made available to any Christian denomination that emphasized Bible teaching. It remained in regular use until 1936. The rectangular structure features a balloon frame covered with clapboard and built on a rubble stone foundation. The interior furnishings with decorative cabinet work details were locally made. The building is an unusual example of a private church built on private land, maintained by the founder's family and descendants, and made available for public use. The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is noteworthy for its association with the Norwegian settlement of this part of Story County and Osmund Sheldahl's volunteer ministry.

Location

3rd and Willow Sts.
Sheldahl, Story County, Iowa
41.86618, -93.69522

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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Skunk River Bridge
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Questions about this property

When was Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church listed on the National Register?

Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church?

Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church?

The period of significance for Sheldahl First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church is recorded as the industrial era.

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