St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church as it appeared March 2021
This unassuming little church's congregation began meeting in 1883 in Hill View School, where they furnished their own wood for burning, lanterns, and swept up after each meeting in addition to fundraising two dollars to help with the upkeep of the school. Demand must have grown for the construction of a community meeting place, so local farmer John T. Pagels donated a parcel of his farm land for the purpose of building a church. Erected 1896, this brick veneered wooden church nestled its way into the community.
Reverend Julius Bittner of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church founded St. James, then known as St. Jacob's Evangelical Lutheran Church. It originally served five families in the area.
By 1923, St. Jacob's boasted 22 families, hosted a Ladies' Aid Society, and a Sunday School program of 35 pupils.
In 1937, the name changed to St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, which it remained until it closed its doors on February 11, 1962.
The last pastor of this church was Reverend Ernest Kuechle (KEEK-lee) who retired the location in the 1960's where it still served a staggering 15 families. They were merged with another nearby congregation with the same pastor.
After its closure, the furnishings of the church were auctioned off to parishioners and other churches, leaving the small brick structure to await its future.
Today, St. James sits sheltered by new growth trees, holding itself together by splinters. Bricks have fallen away to expose the wooden structure underneath in what appears to be a division on wanting to stand or collapse.