Kittson profiles and photos from the past and present

Churches of Kittson County

Information

Share the history and photos of Kittson County churches. Add your memories of activities at your church.

Members: 17
Latest Activity: Aug 19

Christ Episcopal Church in St. Vincent, MN

The first service was held in on Christmas Day, 1880. Services were discontinued in 1966 after the church was severely damaged by the flood. The Kittson County Historical Society has obtained a microfilm of the early church records. They include baptisms and deaths in a number of sites around the St. Vincent area from 1881 to 1933. Many of the baptisms were private or cottage services held in homes in the following areas: Caribou, Hill Town, Joe River, Northcote, Kennedy, St. Vincent, and Hallock in Minnesota and Neche, Bowesmont, Joliette, Hamilton, Bathgate and Pembina in North Dakota.

Discussion Forum

cleem

Started by Georgine Cleem Whalen Feb 17, 2012.

View All

Comment Wall

Comment by Glenn Browne on May 14, 2009 at 2:37pm: I came upon this old church last week in Jupiter Township. It is called East Emmaus Lutheran Church. Construction was started in 1901 and work was completed in 1902 at an approximate total cost of $1,095. The Church was organized in 1884 and the original building was built about 1885.

Comment by Glenn Browne on May 14, 2009 at 2:42pm: This fire damaged church bell sits at the West Emmaus Cemetery. I assume it came from the church that once sat there. The bell has been destroyed by fire and has a large hole melted in it. Can anyone provide the rest of the tale.

Comment by Marcy Johnson on May 14, 2009 at 7:13pm: I found a history on West Emmaus and it stated that fire destroyed the church just before the Christmas program in 1950. The congregation had decided to dissolve and this was to be their last service. The fire started when the space heater overheated and started the wall paper on fire. Does anyone have a photo of the West Emmaus Church that they could share?

Comment by Marcy Johnson on May 21, 2009 at 8:59am: Skjeberg Lutheran Church

Skjeberg Lutheran Church located in Teien Township was organized in 1882 and the church was built in the summer of 1892.

The church after the addition of the basement in 1915.

The Skjeberg Church in 2000.

Comment by Marcy Johnson on May 26, 2009 at 7:57am: Northcote Presbyterian Church

The church was built the summer of 1900. On the 13 April 1975 the congregation voted to close the church and unite with First Presbyterian Church of Hallock.

Comment by Marcy Johnson on June 15, 2009 at 11:44am: Tabitha Lutheran Church

Tabitha Lutheran Church Cemetery is located in North Red River Township, Kittson County, Minnesota. It is in the NW ¼ of section 35 along county road 10. Tabitha was orginized in 1907 and the members built the church in 1911. It was closed in 1953. The inscription on the brick reads as follows: “1907 - In memory of the pioneer members of Tabitha Lutheran Church – I COR I:9 – 1953”. The church is gone, the trees have died, and the brick marker is crumbling but the church bell still rests on the site with the following inscription: “presented by Singel Johnson, Rena Johnson, Esther Johnson, Hilda Anderson, Clara Anderson, Jennie Anderson, Nancy Anderson, Girthy Nordberg, Mabel Jackson, Frances Jackson. Members of the willing helpers society of the Tabitha Lutheran Church – 1912. L. P. Lundgren, Pastor
KOMMEN OCK LÅTOM OSS GÅ UPP TILL HERRENS HUS - ES. 2:3.”

Comment by Cindy Adams on August 31, 2010 at 12:49pm: Wilbur Mission Chapel

Caribou Township, located in the northeast corner of Kittson County, was opened for settlement in the early 1900’s. Within a short time, all of the opened land had homesteaders on it.

In 1904, V.C. Bailey and his wife opened the Caribou Store, which included a post office. This store became a meeting place for all.

Mr. Bailey’s mother, Mrs. Lepha Eliza Bailey, a Women’s Christian Temperance Union Lecturer, and his sister, Mrs. Viola Lee, came for a visit. Seeing a need for a church and Sunday School, Mrs. Bailey went to work. She filed a homestead on a quarter section of land and lived there during the summer months.

Church services were held in her yard until 1911 when she had enough money accumulated to build a church. She donated a corner of her land for this purpose. The cornerstone was laid on August 6, 1911 and was named the Wilbur Mission Sunday School, in honor of a lady who had given $500 for the work. By 1912, there were 116 members.

Very few services were held during the winter months so it was reorganized quite often. In 1927, when it was reorganized, it was given the name, Caribou Union Sunday School. It was never a part of any sect or denomination. The bulk of the work was carried on by the Missionaries of the American Sunday School Union.

The Church and Sunday School were very important to the Caribou area but, like most areas, the population declined and the Sunday School closed in 1961. However, services and other programs continued for a number of years after that.

Comment by Vicki L. (Johnson) Volker on August 13, 2012 at 2:44pm: Have you come across a country church called... Saran? I'm not sure if this is the correct spelling.

Comment by Marcy Johnson on August 13, 2012 at 6:40pm: Pictured below is the first Saron Lutheran Church built in 1893. It was struck by lightening in 1910 and totally destroyed. The second church was built in 1912 and in 1970 it was sold and removed from the site. Now only the cemetery is at the site located in the NW 1/4 of section 2 in Thompson Township, Kittson County, Minnesota.

Here is a picture of the first church:

Here is a picture of the second church:

Comment by Trish Short Lewis on August 13, 2012 at 7:17pm: Were any Kittson County churches featured in the recent book, PRAIRIE CHURCHES? Prairie Churches