St. Olaf Kirke
Encyclopedia
Cranfills Gap, Texas
Cranfills Gap is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The population was 335 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cranfills Gap is located at ....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in an unincorporated rural community known as Norse, Texas.
Background
St. Olaf Kirke is situated on a rise overlooking Meridian Creek valley, four miles east of Cranfills Gap. The church was constructed in 1884 on land purchased for $25. Designed and built in 1886 by Andrew Michelson, St. Olaf Kirke served a community of Norwegian settlersNorwegian American
Norwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
who farmed on area lands. With the help of Michelson's brothers, Christian and Ole, as well as many local farmers, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
was quarried from the surrounding hills to build the church. Originally the church's floor consisted of little more of dirt and the pews were constructed of planks laid upon wooden kegs.
While the church originally functioned as an extension of the Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Cranfills Gap, Texas)
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, is a Lutheran church located near Cranfills Gap, Texas in an unincorporated community known as Norse, Texas.-History:...
congregation located just 6 miles east, the growth of the community resulted in St. Olaf Kirke becoming an independent congregation in 1902. Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
was the primary language used during church services, although some English services were held as well. The church continued to be used for regular Sunday church services until 1917 when St. Olaf Lutheran Church was built in Cranfills Gap.
Cranfills Gap, Texas
Cranfills Gap is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The population was 335 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cranfills Gap is located at ....
Recent history
Today, St. Olaf Kirke serves as a historical landmark with special significance for the descendants of the Norwegian settlers of the area. Special events, such as weddings and funerals, continue to be held in the church. The church was designated a historical landmark by the Texas Historical CommissionTexas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas....
in 1974 and was entered into the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1983.
Due the community's strong ties to its original Norwegian heritage, this area was visited King Olav V of Norway on October 10, 1982. The King came to commemorate the birth of Cleng Peerson
Cleng Peerson
Cleng Peerson was a Norwegian-American pioneer who led the first group of Norwegians to emigrate to the United States, traveling on the Norwegian sloop Restauration.-Background:...
who is buried in the Norse Cemetery. At that time the King also visited St. Olaf Kirke which is located nearby.
Other sources
- Blegen, Theodore C.Theodore C. BlegenTheodore Christian Blegen was an American historian and author. Theodore Blegen was the author of numerous historic reference books, papers and articles written over a five decade period...
Norwegian Migration to America (2 vols., 1931; rpt., New York: Haskell House, 1969)