Former Gethsemane Lutheran Church - Austin, Texas - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

A brief history on the church's building, per the current Gethsemane Lutheran Church's website (now located elsewhere): (visit link)

"[On] December 12, 1868, a group of 25 Swedish immigrants gathered for the first Swedish Lutheran worship led by Reverend K. Karlen of Halland, Sweden; they determined to establish a Swedish Lutheran congregation in Austin for the many immigrants who had recently settled in this area. The first house of worship, dedicated March 10, 1874, was on 9th street across the square from the current Travis County courthouse. [On] February 14, 1875, the congregation was officially established and joined the Augustana Synod as Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Gethsemane Church with 84 Swedes, 3 Norwegians, 1 German and 46 children. The Texas state capitol burned to the ground in 1881. The Swedes gathered the remaining building materials and brick and built the still standing church on the corner of Congress and 16th Street; it was dedicated November 11, 1883."

Also, per the NRHP records:

"[the building is a] simple brick Gothic revival church with graceful proportions now on the extended Capitol grounds. The church is raise[d] on a limestone basement and is built of tan used handmade Austin brick from the Capitol building. The church is rectangular in plan and has a tall front central bell tower. The paneled double doors are from the old Main building at the University of Texas and are set in a lancet arched opening with a stained glass fan light. [...]

In the interests of economizing on building and material fees, the [Gethsemane Lutheran] congregation did much of the construction work themselves. [...] they salvaged bricks and stones from the old state Capitol which had burned down in 1881. They retrieved the doors of the old Main Building at the University of Texas when it was dismantled in 1934 and used them as the front door for the church.

Gethsemane was completed in 1883. The architecture is typical of early rural churches in Sweden. In addition, it is such an outstanding example of early Texas architecture that it was featured on the cover of Texas Architect, April 1963. Measurements for Gethsemane Church are preserved in the library of Congress.

In 1962, the church was recorded as a Texas Historical Landmark, and three years later the Texas Legislature voted to acquire Gethsemane [which ultimately became the Texas Historical Commission's library]."

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1883 Age of Church building determined by?: Cornerstone or plaque If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Lutheran Street address of Church: 1510 N. Congress Ave. Austin, TX USA 78704 Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed

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