The historic Gothic-revival Gethsemane Church at the corner of 16th Street and Congress Ave is the first Lutheran church in Travis County, and the first Swedish Lutheran Church in Texas. On the National Register since 1970, this former church building has been the office of the Texas Historical Commission since 1961.
Unfortunately, the National Register nomination form is not online, but the narrative can be found on the Texas State Historical Commission Atlas: (
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"A simple brick Gothic revival church with graceful proportions now on the extended Capitol grounds. The church is raise 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. The second stage of the bell tower has a tall lancet stained glass window with brick hood mold and the tower is capped by a wide cornice and delicate Carpenter Gothic couple and cross. The brick string courses are handsome. The sides are buttressed with five stained glass windows each and there is a small apse rather like a large bay window with three lancet arched stained glass windows and is finished in the interior as an arched nitch. There is a patterned pressed tin roof.
The interior is plastered. The sanctuary is raised and there is a choir loft at the entrance end.
On December 12, 1868, the first Swedish Lutheran church services were held by Swedish immigrants in Austin. The church built at ninth and Guadalupe Streets, was organized by the Swedish Consul, Swante Palm, and represented not only the first Lutheran church in Travis County, but also the first Swedish Lutheran church in Texas.
Late in 1882, the congregation decided to move their church and build a new structure on a piece of high land direct space capitol. They bought the new property for $1,600 and sold their first church to the African Methodist Church for $900. They hired Frederick Reichow as master builder and foreman of the construction S.A. Carlson, contractor; August Swenson, architect.
In the interests of economizing on building and material fees, the congregation did much of the construction work themselves. In addition, 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. They have decided to use the church as a museum and a place of "rest and meditation." [end]
Interesting facts: This church was built with bricks salvaged from the 1880s temporary state capitol that burned in the 1899. See the nearby waymark: (
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And the church's front doors are from the Old Main Building of the University of Texas, which was razed in 1933 for the construction of the UT Tower Building.
The state historic marker on the front of the Gethsemane Church reads as follows:
"GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH
The first Lutheran church in Travis County. Organized Dec. 12, 1868, by Swedish pioneers under leadership of Swante Palm. Site of first church building was 11 blocks SW; this structure was erected in 1883. It contains stone hauled in wheelbarrows from Texas Capitol that burned 1881. The present ornate, paneled doors came (1934) from Old Main building at University of Texas. Architecture is typical of many rural Swedish churches.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1962"