Zion Lutheran Church and Cemetery

Zion Lutheran Church and Cemetery. . Relying on their faith in God, on June 6, 1881, a group of 33 German immigrant families met to establish a church under the leadership of Pastor G. Schmidt. These visionary pioneers bought five acres of land from a farmer named Carl Boy for $10 and first built a parsonage. The church building was built in 1883 and originally named Wall Lake Zion Gemeinde (meaning fellowship of believers). The church bell was cast in St. Louis in 1890 for a cost of $303; as the bell was transported from Sioux Falls, a wheel came off the buckboard when crossing the Sioux River, nearly dumping the bell. Inscribed on the bell are the church name and German words, which translated read "Glory to God in the Highest." Arch windows were installed in 1931 at a cost of $500., All services were conducted in German until 1919 when an English service was held the last Sunday of the month, and by 1940 all worship services were held in English. Lightning struck the church on Easter Sunday 1955 and after immediate repairs, the church proper was enlarged by thirty feet. The cross atop the original steeple fell to the ground in 1977, and in 1996 the steeple and cross came down again in a windstorm. Congregation members have been willing and faithful to provide improvements through the years, including planting trees, digging out a full basement under the church, adding a balcony, and constructing a new entryway. The Ladies' Aid Society was established in 1920 to perform works of charity and provide for improvements and interior decoration of the church., The cemetery adjoining the church property was also established in 1881, along with the newly organized congregation. Lots in the cemetery were mapped out and sold for $3.50 each to members of the church. Early settlers endured many hardships, including epidemics and a high rate of infant mortality. The year 1894 brought a diphtheria epidemic, with twenty-three funerals that year. The Kruse family suffered the loss of eight children in July 1894. Church records indicate the charge for a member burial at $15, and $25 for non-members. The cemetery is the final resting place of many of the charter members of Zion Lutheran., To our pioneer founders, we give thanks for our Christian heritage. We honor the members who have kept their steadfast faith through the years. To God, we give praise and glory!