Saint Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Have you ever heard of a church built in the midst of a swamp? Standing before Saint Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, you might not imagine that its beginnings were far less grand than its current home. In 1843, in the depths of a heavy blizzard, nine men and several women met at a grocery store in the heart of Chicago. This was the very moment when the new church was born. The founders agreed on the name Saint Paul, and with great enthusiasm, they set about looking for a suitable location. Mayor Ogden, the first mayor of Chicago, showed them an unpromising piece of land close to the corner of LaSalle and Ohio Streets. The area was waterlogged with no drainage, and all around were swamps. The founders were undeterred. They started working with simple plans and volunteered their time and labor. By February 1844, they had built a small church measuring just 30 feet by 60 feet. Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church’s interior was spartan, with a small table covered in velvet cloth for its altar, a homemade lectern, benches, and a huge stove. A picture of the crucified Lord was hung behind the altar. The modest building was filled with a vibrant congregation, who, along with their first pastor, had come from Germany. The Saint Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, started from humble beginnings, would go on to flourish, to weather the great Chicago fire of 1871, and to be rebuilt to serve its community for many years to come. As you stand before its grand facade, you might sense the echo of those first, brave church-goers, who, despite the difficult conditions, built a sanctuary for their faith and their community.