Bethlehem Church Collapse
- Mandi Milenko
- Miz Mayhem
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Re: RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
Damn. Decay sure looks cool, but I'd have rather seen the place before all the damage...SubLunar wrote:I like before and afters..SubLunar wrote:Even as recently as 2007, it was in drastically better condition inside.
- dundahmifflin
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Re: Bethlehem Church Collapse
Excellent, but sad pictures. Thanks for these.
Re: RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
That black and white photo of the interior I keep schlepping can be found at the historical society in full quality. My copy is a scan of a scan of the original. At the time, they didn't allow photography in there and the only copy I could get totally sucks, quality-wise. Furthermore, I think the date on that photo is actually 1895 (but in my notes, I have conflicting dates), which would have been right as the church opened (after the first Bethlehem burned to the ground. Our beloved church was actually Bethlehem #2). So that's as good as you're going to get, I do believe. I searched the historical society before and have only found that one photo of it.mindwaave wrote:Damn. Decay sure looks cool, but I'd have rather seen the place before all the damage...SubLunar wrote:I like before and afters..SubLunar wrote:Even as recently as 2007, it was in drastically better condition inside.
RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
On April 28, 1974, Bethlehem Lutheran Church held its 125th anniversary service and passed out the flier from which all the below information was obtained. I copied most of the good stuff out of it word for word (with some editing/condensing):
A history of Bethlehem Lutheran Church would be incomplete without giving some background of the circumstances which led to its founding as a congregation and its affiliation with what is now known as the Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod.
Two significant evens which led to the founding of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and "Missouri Synod" Lutheranism in Saint Louis and Saint Louis County were 1) the decision of a group of Germans from Saxony to emigrate to America and 2) the mass migraion of German speaking people from all parts of Germany and other parts of Europe.
The Saxons emigrated to St. Louis and Perry County, Missouri, in 1839. Whatever their reasons were for emigrating, taken as a group, the reasons were the persuasive leadership of one man, Marting Stephan, the prevalence of rationalism in the Lutheran Church in Saxony and fear of a possible forced merger with another denomination.
Their venture quickly met with difficulties. One of the five ships carrying the group was lost at sea with all on board. The leader of the group which arrived in America, Martin Stephan, assumed dictatorial powers, which he grossly misuesed and which led to his desposal and expulsion. The mutual fund which they had brought with them was almost totally lost. Un-used to the climate and in dire poverty, many of them perished that first winter.
Those that survived would go on to form what was to become the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The timing of this coincided with the great emigration of German-speaking people to our shores in the nineteenth century. Eventually, over 5 million German immigrants arrived during the period from 1830-1890. Also during this time, Saint Louis was fast becoming the fourth largest city in our country and the largest in the West.
In 1887 the organizers of Bethlehem Lutheran Church purchased the ground at the present location. Building began in 1892 and the new church was dedicated on October 29, 1893. Less than three months later, on January 24, 1894, the new church was destroyed by fire. Although they incurred a large debt, the congregation at once began building the present church, which was dedicated on April 17, 1894.
Bethlehem Lutheran church was German-speaking until 1915 when the first bilingual services were held. In 1959, it was heavily damaged by a tornado.
RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
Love those before and afters, Sub. The more I look at those pictures, the more I'm not surprised it collapsed.
Should've gone while I could. :-\
Should've gone while I could. :-\
- DandelionWeed
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Re: RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
any chance you have a picture of the flyer (love forever!)SubLunar wrote:On April 28, 1974, Bethlehem Lutheran Church held its 125th anniversary service and passed out the flier from which all the below information was obtained. I copied most of the good stuff out of it word for word (with some editing/condensing):
A history of Bethlehem Lutheran Church would be incomplete without giving some background of the circumstances which led to its founding as a congregation and its affiliation with what is now known as the Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod.
Two significant evens which led to the founding of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and "Missouri Synod" Lutheranism in Saint Louis and Saint Louis County were 1) the decision of a group of Germans from Saxony to emigrate to America and 2) the mass migraion of German speaking people from all parts of Germany and other parts of Europe.
The Saxons emigrated to St. Louis and Perry County, Missouri, in 1839. Whatever their reasons were for emigrating, taken as a group, the reasons were the persuasive leadership of one man, Marting Stephan, the prevalence of rationalism in the Lutheran Church in Saxony and fear of a possible forced merger with another denomination.
Their venture quickly met with difficulties. One of the five ships carrying the group was lost at sea with all on board. The leader of the group which arrived in America, Martin Stephan, assumed dictatorial powers, which he grossly misuesed and which led to his desposal and expulsion. The mutual fund which they had brought with them was almost totally lost. Un-used to the climate and in dire poverty, many of them perished that first winter.
Those that survived would go on to form what was to become the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The timing of this coincided with the great emigration of German-speaking people to our shores in the nineteenth century. Eventually, over 5 million German immigrants arrived during the period from 1830-1890. Also during this time, Saint Louis was fast becoming the fourth largest city in our country and the largest in the West.
In 1887 the organizers of Bethlehem Lutheran Church purchased the ground at the present location. Building began in 1892 and the new church was dedicated on October 29, 1893. Less than three months later, on January 24, 1894, the new church was destroyed by fire. Although they incurred a large debt, the congregation at once began building the present church, which was dedicated on April 17, 1894.
Bethlehem Lutheran church was German-speaking until 1915 when the first bilingual services were held. In 1959, it was heavily damaged by a tornado.
there's beauty in the breakdown
RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
Story in Chris Naffziger's RFT blog today: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyr ... _luthe.php
- DandelionWeed
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Re: RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
I actually interviewed him quite recently for my Capstone project and one of the things we discussed was Bethlehem... quite interesting.archinstl wrote:Story in Chris Naffziger's RFT blog today: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyr ... _luthe.php
there's beauty in the breakdown
- DandelionWeed
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RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
Finally went to pay my respects to an old friend.
This was taken from the vantage point of the front door looking at the altar. Just a pile of bricks now..
This was taken from the vantage point of the front door looking at the altar. Just a pile of bricks now..
Re: Bethlehem Church Collapse
SAD so so SAD
Sleep is a waste of time,you can sleep when you are dead
RE: Bethlehem Church Collapse
Anyone heard if City Museum is taking any of the scraps?