The Jacobsville Finnish Lutheran Church is a church located near
Jacobsville, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1977
and placed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1976.
History
In the late 19th century, a wave of Finnish immigrants settled in the
Keweenaw Peninsula
The Keweenaw Peninsula ( , sometimes locally ) is the northernmost part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, leading to its moniker of " Copper Country." A ...
to work the mines and associated industries. Although the area that is now Jacobsville was first settled in the mid-19th century, the community proper did not coalesce until 1884, when the nearby
red sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) b ...
quarries were opened.
Jacobsville was populated mostly by Finns, and by 1886, there were enough immigrants in the Jacobsville area that they organized a new congregation: the Jacobsville Finnish Lutheran church, part of the
Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (commonly known as the Suomi Synod, ) was a Lutheran church body which existed in the United States from 1890 until 1962.
History
The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (FELC) was ...
. The first worship services were held in various locations; however, in 1888 the congregation built this simple frame church for their services. In 1891, the church was placed atop its stone foundation, and in 1892 a tower with bell was added to the front.
In 1952, the congregation joined the Gloria Dei Lutheran congregation of Hancock. The church itself continues to be used for services in the summer,
and retains the original furnishings, kerosene lamps and wood stove.
In 1975, the foundation was reinforced and the roof was reshingled; however, no other improvements to the original structure have been made. It has neither electricity nor plumbing.
Description
The Jacobsville Finnish Lutheran Church is a one-story frame structure built in a rectangular plan. A square belltower containing the main entrance projects from the front.
The exterior is covered with wooden siding covers the walls and the gable roof is covered with cedar shingles. The building sits on an 1891 stone foundation. The interior if the church is simply decorated, and many original elements remain, including kerosine lamps and the heating stove. Outhouses are located at one end of the building.
References
Further reading
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External links
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
{{National Register of Historic Places
Finnish-American history
Finnish-American culture in Michigan
Lutheran churches in Michigan
Churches completed in 1888
19th-century Lutheran churches in the United States
Churches in Houghton County, Michigan
Michigan State Historic Sites in Houghton County
Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
National Register of Historic Places in Houghton County, Michigan
Wooden churches in Michigan