“Wasn’t it Mr Hartwell who started it all?” I ask my group. The Union Congregational United Church of Christ stands before us a testament to faith and community.
This isn’t just any church. It’s the oldest church in St Louis Park. Its story began around 1870. Sunday services were held at the Pratt School. A Minneapolis man Mr Hartwell saw a need. He believed this area needed a church. He spoke to his pastor Rev Dr HA Stimson of Plymouth Church in Minneapolis.
Soon a Sunday school was established. Mr Edward C Clarke from Minneapolis played a key role. Sadly he died in 1874. In 1878 Clarke Chapel was built. It was a branch of Plymouth Church. The land was purchased using funds from Christopher Hanke and John S Bradstreet of Minneapolis. It was the only church in Minneapolis Township. This was long before St Louis Park existed. The chapel was small 30 x 48 feet and cost around 1400 dollars.
In 1883 a big change. The congregation was renamed Union Congregational Church of Minneapolis. The building’s name changed too from Clarke Chapel to Union Church. Seventeen charter members including the Bastons Craiks and Hankes began a new chapter. A parsonage was built in 1886 on land donated by Christopher Hanke and Calvin G Goodrich.
But the church wasn’t done growing. In 1893 Joseph Hamilton donated land on Oxford and Alabama. He convinced the church to move. Legend says Emily Rixon disliked the move. They waited until she was at the World’s Fair in Chicago to move the building.
The move wasn’t easy. In 1894 they needed a new roof. They rented the Village Hall for two years. The Village Council later cancelled their debt. The Women’s Missionary Society formed in 1885. Mrs Ora Baston called it the center of social life in St Louis Park and Edina.
The church continued to evolve. It was called Community Congregational Church for a time. By 1939 they had a basement and connected to the village water system. The current building wasn’t built until 1941. Even Mrs Emily Rixon age 82 participated in the groundbreaking ceremony. It cost only 700 dollars. Mrs Ora Baston burned the mortgage in 1945 at an anniversary ceremony. A new wing was added in 1952.
Today the Union Congregational United Church of Christ stands as a symbol of resilience faith and community. It is a place where history is remembered and new memories are made. The church continues its mission. It stands as a welcoming sanctuary for all. It’s a place where everyone is better because they are there.