Points of Interest

1491 27th Road

The first service of the Evangelical Mission Covenant Church was held June 18, 1872, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hurtie, two miles north and one-fourth mile east of the present church when J.C. Hurtie read a sermon and Klause Anderson led the singing. Mr. Hurtie and C.A. Swanson were the first leaders of the services when no pastors were present. Meetings were held in various homes.  The Farrar schoolhouse and the Backman School, later called the Victory School, were meeting places from 1880-1889. In 1880 the Christmas service (Julotta) was held at Victory School when a peach tree was decorated with cotton and candles. Through the leadership of Rev. Wm. Person and seven believers, the church was organized in 1880.  He preached the first Sunday of every month, coming by horse and buggy from Randolph.  He received $75 a year.  The first resident pastor, Rev. P. W. Thoren, came in 1881.  The constitution was adopted December 29, 1886, with 17 members.  The name Swedish Evangelical Zion Mission Church was chosen at the meeting.  The first church was built in 1889, one mile north and three-eighths mile west of the present church.  Rev S Arnquist was the pastor.  Rev. J. Wm. Johnson became the pastor in 1907.  It was decided to build a new church at the present location.  Lumber from the old church was used in the new building.  When the roof was ready to be put on, fire started in the shavings completely destroying the building in the presence of the contractors and carpenters.  The members immediately began rebuilding.  A parsonage, barn and other buildings were erected the same year. The Sunday School began in 1880 and continues today with classes for all ages.  The Ladies Aid was organized in 1885 and later became the Covenant Women.  They assist in the local church work and serve in the needs of home and world missions.  The youth group organized July 26, 1888.The church is affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of America. Information taken from Axtell’s 125 year book. 

2590 Navajo Road

The settling of the Swede settlement, southeast of Axtell, began in 1858.  The church was organized on December 18, 1874, with 28 charter members holding meetings in their homes.  This humble beginning became the focal point for religious activity that has lasted to this day and prayerfully for many more years to come.  For years these Swedish immigrants attended services conducted in the native tongue as was that first “Julotta” service, the traditional Swedish celebration of the birth of Christ. Organizations have been important to the congregation of Salem including the Sunday School and its yearly picnic which had crowds as large as 3,000 people when Governor Arthur Capper was speaker for the program, Ladies Aid, Willing Workers, Missionary Societies, Lutheran Church Women, Luther League and its sponsoring of the mid-summer ice cream socials, band and choir and, of course, the Brotherhood who hosted a father/son banquet for 55 years.The first church was constructed on the 40 acres in Lincoln Township, owned by the congregation in 1884, soon followed a parsonage in 1889.   In 1906 the church was remodeled and extended to accommodate the growing congregation.  The year 1911 saw the building of the Luther League Hall and in 1923 the present parsonage was built.  Salem’s present red brick structure was built in 1924 and that is where worship services continue as usual for this parish which has been built upon strong Swedish hearts and prayers.Pastors at Salem included Reverends S.P.A. Lindahl, N.G. Bergenskold, John Seleen, Hokan Olson, P.J. Sanden, F.A. Bonander, A.S. Segarhammer, Gustaf Nyquist, A.T. Train, C.A. Julius, Carl A.B. Swanson, A.W. Lindberg, George L. Search, Vernon Swenson, Charles Hanson, Clifford Swanson, Sverrer Lundh and Harlan Stutheit.Information taken from Axtell’s 125 year book. 

St. Bridget can trace its beginning to 1849 to Irish Immigrants.  It has been said that nowhere in the world is the Roman Catholic Faith more deeply rooted than in the hearts of the Irish.  In May of 1859, dreams were realized when a missionary priest arrived at the settlement and offered the first Mass in a family's home. In 1862 the first church was organized, and a log cabin church was built.  In honor of the Patroness of Ireland, the name St. Bridget was chosen.  This made it the first Catholic Church in Marshall County.  Soon after being completed, the log cabin church was destroyed by fire.  In 1863-1864 the first frame church was built on site where the St. Bridget Cemetery is now.  It was later moved to where the present church is now located. In 1871, the erection of a 30'x60' stone church began and was completed in 1875.  In 1896 plans were underway to build the current 50'x100' brick church.  Construction began in the early 1900's and completed in 1905 at a cost of $25,000.  It was dedicated in 1907.  The installation of beautiful stained-glass windows and interior furnishings were the pride of the St. Bridget community. An often-expressed fear of St. Bridget's parishioners was that their church would one day become a mission.  The rapidly declining population of the parish, as well as a shortage of priests contributed to this fear.  This fear was realized in 1949 when it was announced by the Bishop that St. Bridget Church was to be a Mission of Summerfield. A basement was dug under the church in 1957 and remodeled for a Parish Hall.  In 1958 a new organ was purchased, and the aisle of the church was covered with linoleum. In 1963 a new altar was installed which faced the parishioners and the organ was brought down from the church loft to the front of the church to foster community signing. Archbishop Hunkler announced the closing of St. Bridget Parish on September 10, 1967.  The ultimate fate of the church building was not decided at this time.  In July 1969, Bishop Hunkler said the church was to be demolished since it wasn't in use.  Thirty-one of St. Bridget's parishioners and Father Nelligan met on the steps of St. Bridget Church on July 13th, 1969, trying to avert the impending catastrophe.  Twenty-seven of those present signed a petition to save the church and a committee was formed to start the process.  They were never able to speak with Bishop Hunkler.  Father Denis Pickert intervened for them, but no word was received for some time.  In 1970 a new Archbishop, Most Reverend Ignatius Stricker was to determine the fate of St. Bridget.  On March 24, 1970, he met with the St. Bridget steering committee, and approved plans to incorporate the church into a Historical Society and agreed to transfer the title of the church.  With details completed, the first Annual St. Bridget Day was celebrated on June 7th, 1970.  It was so successful, the committee decided to celebrate every year on the Sunday before Memorial Day.  This still continues today, although with a much smaller attendance after 52 years.  The faithfulness of the people in attendance at St. Bridget's Holy Masses was an inspiration to everyone who knew them.  The memory of St. Bridget Pioneers should always be revered for the heritage they left us.  The examples they set by their respect and devotion, and their deep love for their homeland and descendants will not be forgotten.Father Tom Dolezal has written a nicely detailed history of St. Bridget Catholic Church, Cemetery and Rectory.  It is available at the church and through the St. Bridget Historical Society officers.  If you are interested in learning more about St. Bridget or to set up a tour of the historical Catholic Church, please contact Norma Stallbaumer at 785-736-2910. 

502 6th Street

St. Michael’s Parish celebrated 125 years as a parish in 2006.  The parish has a rich history that dates back to the time when it was a mission parish from St. Bridget’s Parish in rural Axtell.  St. Michael’s remained a mission parish for ten years until 1891.  In 1881 a committee of four men of Axtell along with Fr. Timothy Luber, the pastor of St. Bridget, began planning to build a Catholic church in Axtell.  There were 18 Catholic families in Axtell at that time.  The church was completed, and it continued as a mission church until 1891.In 1890 it was resolved that the size of the congregation at Axtell was large enough to support a resident pastor.  At that time, it was also decided that the location was unsuitable and a new church site of six acres was purchased from Mrs. Catherine Murray.  The church was moved to the new site and construction of a rectory begun.In January of 1891 Father E Bononcini was appointed the first resident pastor of St. Michael’s.  In the summer of 1891 Father Bononcini built a school building near the church and St. Michael’s school was begun.In 1898 Father Maurice Burk was appointed pastor and shortly after purchased land for the present church site and plans were made to build a new church.  In 1903 Father Francis Taton was appointed pastor and a building committee under his direction made final plans for a new church.  A contract for the new church was awarded to H. Tappen of Rock Island, Illinois.Construction of the new church began and the gothic structure that is still the parish church for St. Michael’s was completed in 1906.  For those interested in dimensions the church is 110 feet long, 52 feet wide and the steeple is 112 feet high.  The church was dedicated on April 24, 1906, by Right Reverend Monsignor Bernard S Kelly.    Father Maher of Salina, Kansas preached at the dedication.  Indeed, times have changed.  Total cost of the new church was $21,566. A new parish house was completed in 1909.  This was a two-story brick structure located south of the church.  The cost of the new rectory was $7,202.  Next to be built was the parochial school.  This was started in 1913 but due to financial constraints it was not completed until 1917.Father Taton obtained Sisters from Mt. St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas and the school was opened in September 1917.  Sisters Lucina and Anita were the first two sister to teach in the school.  A convent was built for the nuns and completed in 1918.The old school was torn down and the present school was dedicated by Archbishop Edward J Hunkeler in 1960.  Father John J. Quinlan was pastor of St. Michael’s at that time.  The latest addition to the parish buildings was the construction of a new rectory during the pastorate of Father Thomas Dolezal.The construction of the rectory gave evidence of the spirit, skill and talents of the men and women of the parish.  The old rectory became too costly to maintain and the parish voted overwhelmingly to build the new structure.  Spearheading the project were the Knights of Columbus Council #1163.  Work began on July 16, 1996, and continued throughout the summer.  This was remarkable considering many of the workers were also farmers who had to keep up with their farming along with the construction.  Father Tom moved into the new rectory in October and Archbishop James P Keleher blessed the new rectory in November 1996.