Long Rapids Township near Leer in Alpena County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Leer / Norwegian Lutheran Church
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 23, 2023
1. Leer side of marker
In the summer of 1879 five Norwegian families settled what became the village of Leer. They and those who followed came to Michigan seeking to own their own land. Many of the men worked in area lumber camps and Alpena’s mills until they earned enough money to establish farms. In 1922, the Leer Guernsey Breeders Association showcased its cattle at the National Dairy Exposition in St. Paul, Minnesota. Named for Lier, Norway, the village reached its peak population during the 1920s.
Five Norwegian immigrant families established the village of Leer in 1879. They founded the Norwegian Lutheran Church Society in 1882. The small congregation met in a school until it built this church in 1899. Members donated lumber and crafted the baptismal font, altar, pulpit and pews. Services were conducted solely in Norwegian until 1922. The church, parish house and cemetery are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Erected 2015 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number 2271.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 45° 11.842′ N, 83° 43.167′ W. Marker is near Leer
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Elowsky Mill (approx. 1.9 miles away); Presque Isle Electric Cooperative Monument (approx. 4.6 miles away); In Memory of Our Common Ancestors (approx. 4.6 miles away); The Metz Fire (approx. 7.2 miles away).
Regarding Leer / Norwegian Lutheran Church. The church is also known as the Leer Lutheran Church.
Also see . . . Wikipedia entry for Leer Lutheran Church. Excerpt:
The Norwegian Lutheran Church is a rectangular wood-frame vernacular Gothic Revival church, measuring 50 feet by 31 feet, with a gable roof and a fieldstone and concrete foundation. It has a centrally positioned, rectangular bell tower 63 feet high that projects from the front facade. The church entrance is in the base of the tower and is reached via a set of concrete steps. Above the entrance is a single stained glass window. Similar windows line the longer sides of the church. The church was originally constructed of local materials, but is presently clad in white vinyl siding.(Submitted on September 29, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.)
Inside the church entrance is a small vestibule, alongwith a cry room and restroom (converted from a former coat room), beyond which is the entrance to the nave. The nave has two rows of eight oak pews with a center aisle. In the front are the chancel, altar, and pulpit, which are flanked by the pastor’s dressing room, and another vestibule leading to a rear exit. A balcony is in the rear of the church. The original wood floor is covered with carpeting. Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the interior is the altar painting, Crucifixion, by Sarah Kirkeberg Raugland, which is attached to the rear wall of the chancel.Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 23, 20232. Norwegian Lutheran Church side of marker
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 23, 2023
3. Leer / Norwegian Lutheran Church Marker
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 23, 2023
4. Norwegian Lutheran Church and Marker
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 23, 2023
5. Leer Lutheran Church, Alpena County, Michigan
Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 77 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 29, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. a photograph of the painting by Sarah Kirkeberg Raugland that is in the church • Can you help?
