Old Muskego Church

On a hill at the edge of campus stands Old Muskego Church. It was built in the Wind Lake area near Racine, Wisconsin, in 1844 by Norwegian immigrants four years before Wisconsin became a state.

[ Read an article relating to its construction in American Woodturner magazine. ]

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Fathers and sons cut down, cleaned and hauled over 200 trees while mothers and daughters went searching for moss for the chinking. All this was done in the midst of the immigrants' fight for survival. Even while they were hunting for food, building their own shelters and gathering wood for heat throughout the winter, they built this house of worship.

The congregation sat divided-men on one side, women on the other-in this unheated building. The lay leader, or "klokker," sat on the men's side in front and helped lead worship.

In 1904, it was moved to the campus of Luther Seminary piece by piece and now stands as a reminder that it was the people who sat in these pews who had the vision for this seminary as a place where pastors would train. Their descendants still come to take care of the old building on a regular basis. It is still used as a sanctuary; for worship, weddings, baptisms and ordinations.

Individuals wishing to visit to Old Muskego Church, should go to the Information Desk in the Olson Campus Center on our campus. The hours for the Olson Campus Center are available by calling 651 641-3456 or visiting our Information Desk web page. For group tours, please contact Lynne Moratzka (in advance) 651 641-3419 or lmoratzk@luthersem.edu.