The basis for Foothills Chapel was built in a prisoner of war camp at Camp Hale near Leadville, Colorado. The German soldiers being housed at Camp Hale were mostly Lutheran, and one of the American captains asked the German POWs if they would be interested in helping make stained glass and lantern-like lights for a new Lutheran Church for the glory of God to be built in Golden after the war. Several of the POWS joined in with the American captain, making this one of the few cooperative ventures between Germans and Americans during World War II. When the war ended, the Fort Hale Chapel was moved to Golden in 1947 and the church dedicated June 5, 1949. A Navy shipbuilder actually created the beams using old shipbuilding techniques, warping them in water just the right amount to give them a perfect curve in the final architecture. The entire top of the church was built to look like the hull of Noah's ark turned upside down!
Following is a timeline of the beginnings of St. James Lutheran Church.
1938
Oct. 29 – Golden Lutheran Church (later Grace Evangelical Lutheran, then St. James Lutheran and now St. Paul Lutheran) is founded by Rev. Immanuel P. Frey, with services held at Seventh Day Adventist.
1949
June 5 –
St. James Lutheran Church, made from a chapel moved from Camp Hale in 1947, is dedicated at 1950 Ford Street.
1969
St. James Lutheran School opens at 1940 Ford Street, operating into the 1980s.
1992
St. James Lutheran Church merges with St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Lakewood, becoming St. Paul Lutheran Church.
From Golden History
Established in 1996 as a wedding chapel by Revs Chris and Karen Mohr they offer "Complete wedding packages, one on one service so you can have the wedding of your dreams, affordable yet beautiful, inspiring chapel holds 200, banquet room available (our caterer/bartender or your own food/drinks), foothills location but Denver weather, 15 minutes from downtown Denver, traditional building, caring nondenominational ministers!"