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The Old Rock
Church
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
National Register of Historic Places
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2005 |
Historical Marker:
(from Cranfills
Gap, take CR 4145 about 4 miles east to the church and cemetery)
The Rock Church
St. Olaf Lutheran Congregation
Built in 1886 of
native stone by architect Andrew Mickelson and his brothers, Christian
and Ole Mickelson. It originally had a dirt floor and planks laid
on wooden kegs for pews. The bell was acquired in 1897. The church
served the Norwegian settlers of this area, who were members of Our
Savior's Lutheran Church of Norse (6 miles east). In 1902, the
growth of the community necessitated separation from the Norse church,
and the St. Olaf congregation was organized. A new edifice was erected
in Cranfills
Gap (4 miles west) in 1917, and this church has since been used
only for special services.
1974
Incise on back:
In Memory of Otto H. Reesing 1890-1974 |
Our
Savior's Lutheran Church
Recorded
Texas Historic Landmark
Photo
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, October 2003 |
Historical Marker:(
from Clifton take FM
219 W about 6.8 miles; take FM 182 2.8 miles N to church
Our Savior's
Lutheran Church
Mother church,
former Evangelical Lutheran Church in Texas. Organized June 14, 1869,
by Norwegian settlers of Bosque
County. Building erected 1875-1885. Cleng Peerson, pioneer of
Norwegian emigration to U.S. (landed 1821) is buried here.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965
Supplemental plate:
Centennial 1869-1969 Church built by Norwegian pioneers, 1875; contractor
Gunerius Shefstad. Dedicated in 1885; enlarged, veneered with brick
in 1907; veneer work redone, 1956; memorial windows given in 1958.
This church has been served by eight pastors. (1970) |
Our Savior's Lutheran Church is much older than
the Old Rock Church and
is a very active church in the old Norse area.
Following is a bit of history on these churchs:
"Although Our Savior's Lutheran Church wasn't formally organized
until 1869, the first Norwegian Lutheran services were held in the
Jens Ringness home in 1867 (a house that has gotten a lot of attention
lately, as efforts are underway to get enough monies to do a major
restoration on the home). It wasn't until 1871 that they finally managed
to obtain a building site for the church, and it would be another
4 years--1876--before the church was actually built.
During the time between 1876 and 1886, the church was variously referred
to as, "The Lutheran Church", "The Norse Church", and "The Norwegian
Church".
Then, in 1886, when it was decided to build a second church to serve
the settlers in the upper part of the settlement, it was decided to
name the old church "Our Savior's Lutheran Church" (or "Vor
Frelsers Kirke") and name the new one, which they desired be built
of rock, "St. Olaf Kirke". The new church was to be built 4
miles east of Cranfills
Gap.
In 1917, St Olaf's decided to build another church in the town of
Cranfills Gap,
naming it St. Olaf's, and the old rock church was then just referred
to as, simply, "the Old Rock Church" .
Today, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Norse and St.
Olaf's Lutheran Church are very active, but the Old Rock Church
only has occasional services." - Doris Werner - Norse area, June
07, 2002 |
 |
Our
Savior's Lutheran Church and Cemetery
Photo
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, October 2003 |
The
Marker commemorating the first settlers
On the grounds of Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Photo Courtesy Lou
Ann Herda, July 2001 |
Forum
Subject:
Norse Church
My wife and I went to try to photograph the new church listing at
Norse. Your web site said it was 10 miles west of Norse, near Cranfils
Gap. That is INCORRECT. It is at the community of Norse,
about 10 miles east of Cranfills
Gap - William L. Early, May 02, 2006
"The picture
you have IS the Rock Church, which is located near Cranfills
Gap. (Cranfills Gap is 19 miles west of Clifton,
and the church is about 10 miles west of Norse.)
There is a church at Norse, where Cleng
Peerson is buried, and where the marker you show is situated. The
church is Our Savior's Lutheran
Church, still an active congregation, and it is an historic
site as well. The church is red brick. ..." - Betty Tindall,
President, Bosque County Norwegian Society of Texas, June 10, 2002
Webmaster's
note: We appreciate Betty Tindall and Doris Werner's identification
of the Old Rock Church and for sending us the historical information
on the churches.
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
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