Judith Oman-Grotegut in church yard cemetery Photo: Belinda Oman
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Swedish Immigrant Church
West Central Texas is home to people of diverse
backgrounds and cultures, yet sharing a staunch devotion to their
land and to their faith in God. The community of Ericksdahl,
settled by Scandinavian immigrants in the 1850s, and its Bethel
Evangelical Lutheran Church exemplify this reverence for land and
faith. Ericksdahl's founding father, S.M. Swenson, began to
purchase plots of land in the area in 1854. He secured 100,000
acres, and gave his sons the task of making the land investment
lucrative until the plots could be sold to incoming settlers. The
Ericsdale Ranch had been about 20,000 acres before the Swensons
began selling it off to immigrants for $10 to $16 an acre. In
recognition of the spiritual needs of the growing community, 80
acres were set aside from the original 20,000 for the purpose of
building a church. The 80-acre site remains church property to this
day.
Established on the banks of California Creek in Jones
County in 1906, Bethel Lutheran quickly became the spiritual and
social center of the Ericksdahl community. When services began,
most of the immigrants were Swedish, so Swedish language and
customs were used. Today, a gothic-style church, whose walls are
built from native stone dug from pasture land, a two-story
parsonage, and a cemetery occupy the property. The Swedish
influence has continued until today, with a bi-annual Smorgasbord
feast serving traditional Swedish foods and hosting about 600
guests. To mark its importance in Texas history, in 1971 Bethel was
designated by the State of Texas to receive a historical marker.
Project documentation includes a report, a copy of an early church
promissory note, the original charter of the church, Swedish
Smorgasbord recipes, newspaper articles, and photographs with
descriptions.
Originally submitted by: Charles W. Stenholm, Representative (17th District).
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The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.
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