From the church's web site (
visit link) :
"It was in 1917 that a small group of Minneapolis business and professional men began meeting to discuss a goal they shared – the creation of an English-language Lutheran church in the downtown part of the city.
Although almost all of them were of Norwegian descent, they were determined that the new church would be thoroughly American, not an ethnic parish. It would seek members from the large number of people moving into the area around downtown, welcoming all regardless of national background, race or economic status, and it would serve the needs of members and nonmembers alike.
By late 1918 the founding group numbered 12 and their efforts were gaining momentum. The founders picked up support from leaders of the newly formed Norwegian Lutheran Church in America, who also encouraged use of the English language in worship, and on Feb. 29, 1919, they incorporated as Central Lutheran Church.
The Rev. J.A.O. Stub, who had been engaged in military chaplaincy work during World War I, accepted the founders' call to be pastor of the new church, and the first service was held on Palm Sunday, April 13, 1919. The site was the old Central Baptist Church at Grant St. and 4th Ave. S. – a vacant building that the founders leased at first and the congregation later purchased for $33,000.
Soon after this beginning, the number of members grew rapidly beyond the original 12 founders and their families, reaching 581 persons in early 1920 and over 1500 in 1924. The sanctuary was filled to capacity for worship services every Sunday.
On Easter Sunday in 1923 the church rented the old Lyceum Theater in downtown Minneapolis for its worship service, but all 3000 seats were quickly taken and over 1200 people were left standing outside. In 1925 Easter worship moved to the largest available meeting place in the city, the old Kenwood Armory several miles west of Central, but after nearly 8000 persons crowded inside, there were still 2000 left outside.
The lack of adequate space at Old Central became obvious, and in 1923 a "Committee of 12" was appointed to study the problem in depth. The issue was whether to remodel and expand the old worship facility or plunge ahead on construction of a new, much larger sanctuary.
After two years of study and with considerable trepidation, the congregation chose the new-construction alternative. It subsequently approved plans for a neo-Gothic type cathedral, to be built on property west of the existing church on Grant Street at an eventual cost of $576,000.
Construction of the new sanctuary, with a seating capacity between 2700 and 3000, was completed and the building dedicated on Palm Sunday in 1928. It was believed to be the largest Lutheran cathedral-type structure in North America."