Gary in Lake County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

St. John's Lutheran Church

Tolleston

Photographed by Lou Donkle, June 19, 2022

1. St. John's Lutheran Church Marker

Inscription.
St. John's Church, the oldest surviving institution in Gary and north of the Little Calumet River, began with the work of the Rev. Henry Wunder in the early 1860's. He regularly came from Chicago by horse and buggy. Baptism records date from 1863; the first church was built on this site in 1868 or 1869; 1870 is celebrated as date of organization. The church served German immigrants to Tolleston (named for George Tolle who came in 1856). Tolleston was annexed to Gary in 1910.

Erected 1976. (Marker Number 45.1976.1.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Indiana Historical Bureau Markers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.

Location. 41° 35.571′ N, 87° 21.954′ W. Marker is in Gary, Indiana, in Lake County. It is at the intersection of Taft St and W. 10th Ave, on the right when traveling north on Taft St. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2235 W 10th Ave, Gary IN 46404, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this

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marker is in Northwest Indiana,

specifically on the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan Shore,

and in the Calumet Region.

It is also in the American Midwest,

on the Great Lakes,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: St. Augustine’s Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); Froebel School (approx. 1.2 miles away); Atty. Hall's Historic Patriotic Peace Flower and Rose Gardens and Mini-Forest Preserve (approx. 1.4 miles away); Rep. Katie Hall (1938-2012) / Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law (approx. 1.4 miles away); City Church (approx. 1½ miles away); Michael Jackson (approx. 1.6 miles away); Michael Jackson Place of Birth (approx. 1.6 miles away); Stewart Settlement House (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gary.

Regarding St. John's Lutheran Church. Based on the dates on a cornerstone of the

St. John's Lutheran Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, April 3, 2013

2. St. John's Lutheran Church

church, the present church building was built in 1922.

Also see . . . Gary’s Oldest Church Earns Spot in National Register. Indiana Landmarks website entry:

This website is published by Indiana Landmarks, an organization that works to preserve historic Indiana buildings by restoring and repurposing them.

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded by Gary’s oldest congregation, a distinction augmented by the church’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places. St. John’s traces its earliest services to 1863, when German Lutheran immigrants arrived in Tolleston, drawn by local railroad jobs. Members erected a wood frame church in 1869, repurposing it as a school after they built a larger brick church in 1888.

(Submitted on June 28, 2022, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 5, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,095 times since then and 41 times this year. Last updated on June 20, 2022, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. Photos: 1. submitted on June 20, 2022, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. 2. submitted on April 5, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.