The Steeple Story
On February 18, 1860, Theodore Heath purchased the Sager Hall
on James Street across the road from the currant St. Peter's School.
The hall was remodeled adding a steeple. The new house of
worship became the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Over the following 30 years, the congregation
grew far beyond the capacity of the James Street Church.
In 1892, a nearly unanimous vote by the worshippers
determined a new church was in order.
In March of 1893, under the name of St. John's Evangelical
Lutheran Church, the new house of worship was dedicated
at its new home on Center Street. The congregation
would later reincorporate under its current name of
First Evangelical Lutheran Church. The church was now
large enough to serve its congregation. The building comprising
an area of 44 x 106 feet including a spire
reaching a height of 114 feet.
The original James Street steeple was restored as a second
steeple toward the rear of the church. This proud structure
stood for the following 110 years succumbing to the
wrecking ball the summer of 2003.
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The Dodge County Historical Society is proud to preserve
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