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1 St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 111 Kingsbury Avenue Est. 1857 -- Built in 1953 Decorated by: The Congregation St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded on July 19, 1857, and celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. In 1857, the Germans in the area decided that they wanted to form a congregation, and Pastor Reinhold Tramm was instrumental in the establishment of the church at its original location of 308 C Street. His salary at the time was $200 per year. Early sermons were preached in German, and German language services continued until 1951. Today the church is a member of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Education has always been important to St. John’s mission. A day school was opened immediately at the same location of 308 C Street. Reverend Tramm also taught in the school. The church continues to operate its own school today (pre-kindergarten through eighth grade). In 1863, at the time of the Civil War, a new brick church was erected on A Street, 45 by 100 feet, with a steeple 125 feet high. In 1886, the growth of the congregation made it necessary that the church be enlarged, and so that year, two wings were added. A pipe organ with 18 stops was built by Pfeffer of St. Louis at a cost of $1700. This building still stands today, converted to a community theater. (It is the home of the La Porte Little Theatre Club.) The bells from this church building, made in 1871 in Cincinnati, were moved to the current church building and still chime out their familiar three-pattern “come to church!” Around 1870, a new school building was erected across 3rd Street from the Draperies • Carpets • BlinDs • Upholstery Don & Cheryl young Proprietors 301 Lincolnway La Porte, IN 46350 4 49 Open Monday - Saturday 11 - 9 Catering Available - Delivery Colima Restaurant Authentic Mexican Food Hosted by The Jimenez Family (219) 324-0355
5 Most EndangErEd Starting in 2008, PEP initiated its first ever list of the”5 Most Endangered.” This is a list of those historic structures in our community deemed to be threatened, and yet highly worthy of saving. In establishing the list, it is hoped that their value to the community will be appreciated, and that positive outcomes for these structures can be achieved. (For additional information about any of these structures, please contact PEP at (219) 324-5087.) 1) The Old North Side Fire Station, on Pine Lake Avenue across from McDonald’s, was designed by local architect Arthur C. Steigley and built by Joseph Goodall. It opened for use in 1929, the final year of the Roaring 20’s, and its imaginative “storybook style” architecture (extremely rare for a public building) captures the optimism and confidence of the era. With redevelopment pending behind the station, PEP believes that preserving the structure, and utilizing it as a design motif in any new development would provide continuity and character. 2) The former St. John’s Lutheran School, 3rd & A streets, offers a dramatic fortress-like presence to the neighborhood. The elaborate High Victorian structure, built in 1893 in Romanesque Revival style, with its copper gutters, roof finials, brick corbelling, and bell tower, is currently vacant. (It has been out of the hands of St. John’s for many years.) With its excellent location, large windows, and prominent and prestigious architecture, the building is an ideal candidate for adaptive reuse for upscale lofts, or other high-end uses. 3) The former Christian Science Church at 1008 Michigan Avenue is a stately, Parthenon-like structure. Originally built in 1890, and enlarged and thoroughly redesigned in 1920, with Colonial Revival embellishment, it was designed by famed local architect George Wood Allen. The structure was featured on the 2005 Christmas Candlelight Tour. It has been vacant for several years now, and is in need of a considerable amount of repairs and improvements. The building offers a cavernous open floor plan (with nearly 3000 square feet of total space) that is adaptable to virtually any use, from residential, to offices, to worship space. 4) The Coddington Building, 612 Monroe Street, is known by many old-time La Porteans as a building where apparel was made and sold, in the days when La Porte was a significant garment-making center. Standing a full 5 stories tall, this imposing century old Chicago-style edifice is the 2nd tallest historic building in downtown La Porte (after the Courthouse). This solidly built structure is ideally situated in an area of increasingly restored structures, and based upon its open floor plan, and large windows (currently shuttered), it would make an ideal adaptive reuse as desirable “urban loft” residences. 5) The First Baptist Church, at the southwest corner of Indiana and Jefferson Avenues, was built in Gothic Revival style in 1877. About a decade ago the building was designated historic by the City of La Porte. The structure’s architecture is rated “outstanding” (the very highest rating) in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. The church’s interior is stunning, with its original woodwork, extraordinary stained glass, and an ideal seating arrangement. Furthermore, the church is in an enviable location, situated within one block of the courthouse, city hall, and the library. church. By 1872 the school had grown to 260 students and the congregation consisted of 190 families. By 1890, there were 1750 members and 327 pupils in the school. The pastor was Rev. George Link, Jr., soon to be succeeded by his father, George Link, Sr., when the younger developed throat problems. In 1893, the circa 1870 school at the A-Street site was replaced by a new building. This building, although empty, still exists, waiting for its next use. In 1933, the Walther League Chorus (famous for its Christmas concert) was founded by Walter Burger as part of the church music program. In 1948, the church began weekly broadcasts over WLOI radio in La Porte. The Reverend Manfred E. Reinke was instrumental in the construction of the new church and school facilities on Monroe Street. On July 17, 1950, the church purchased 5.2 acres of land from Dr. and Mrs. E. E. Linn, on the corner of Monroe Street and Kingsbury Avenue. Construction of the church was delayed until the federal government, restricting materials during the Korean War, finally issued a federal building permit. The architect was Hugo Haeuser of Milwaukee, who designed over 600 churches. However, St. John’s was the last one, as he passed away during design, and it had to be completed by Lester Trier of Elkhart. On July 27, 1952, ground was broken for the church building. The cornerstone was set in place on January 11, 1953, and the church was dedicated on May 2, 1954. The elaborate Modern Gothic structure was created with 450 tons of Wisconsin Lannon stone and 217 tons of Indiana Limestone. The total cost near $500,000 did not include furnishings and windows, which were acquired through generous donations and memorial gifts. In 1959 it was decided to build a new school building, and a fund was established. In 1968 ground was broken for the new school at Kingsbury and Monroe, and in 1979 the gymnasium and activities addition was added, The Romanesque-styled former St. John’s school building, built in 1893 at the architectural zenith of the Victorian era, still makes a dramatic statement at the corner of 3rd and A Streets. (This fortress-like structure, currently vacant, is highly suited to a number of adaptive reuses.) 48 5 The earliest St. John’s sanctuary at 308 C Street, in a rare, early photograph (circa 1860). completing the St. John’s church and school complex. As you tour the church, note the nine 25-ton Oregon fir trusses supporting the roof in the 163
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