Historical Shrine Church - Valley Falls, Kansas The Historical Shrine Church in Valley Falls, Kansas is believed to have been the first Lutheran Church built west of the Missouri River. The constructed in the 500 block of Elm Street as a Lutheran Church in 1857 and also served as a school and community hall. In 1877 the building was purchased by a United Presbyterian Church and served them until 1890. In 1891 it was moved to 901 Elm Street where it serve an African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) until it disbanded in the 1960s. In the 1970s, members of the Valley Falls Historical Society began restoring the old Lutheran Church. It was relocated to this location next to the Valley Falls Historical Society Museum in March 2014. A quick search online shows that a Lutheran Church was built in Sitka, Alaska in 1843, but it is long gone. Historical Shrine Church might be the oldest Lutheran Church building west of the Mississippi River, as well as the oldest wooden frame house of worship in Kansas. The church is open to the public from 10 AM - 2 PM on the first and third Saturdays of the month, but if you are passing by, you might just try the door. It was unlocked when I stopped on a Tuesday afternoon. It can also be viewed by appointment. The building is available for special events and weddings.
copyright 2024 by Keith Stokes |
