Description of Historic Place

North Prairie Scandinavian Lutheran Church is a Municipal Heritage Property located within the Rural Municipality of Preeceville No. 334 approximately 13 km northwest of the Town of Preeceville. The property features a one-storey, wood-frame church constructed in 1918 and a cemetery surrounded by a shelter belt.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the North Prairie Scandinavian Lutheran Church lies in the property’s association with the Scandinavian settlers that homesteaded the area. In 1918, the church was constructed by the volunteer labour of some of the first pioneers in the municipality. The building has served the community since that time, making it the oldest public building in the area. The grounds feature a cemetery which contains the remains of many who lived in the area, thereby providing a link to the past for current residents of the community.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its status as a landmark in the community. The church’s architecture is one of the main reasons for its landmark status. The church exhibits the influence of Gothic Revival architecture common to Lutheran churches of the period. This style can be observed in the building’s exterior elements, including the bell tower, tall multi-faceted steeple, window tracery, pinnacle spires, steeply-pitched gable roof, and pointed-arch windows and doorways. The Gothic influence can also be observed in several interior elements, including the intricately carved altar, chancel railing and the L-shaped layout of the nave and sanctuary. These elements combine to give the property a distinctive look unlike other buildings in the vicinity.

The property’s status as a landmark is enhanced by its landscape and its proximity to Grid 736. The church is easily visible to west bound traffic on Grid 736, as the church stands out from the landscape because of its tall form and bright white colour, which contrasts with the surrounding agricultural land. This contrast is further enhanced by the shelterbelt of coniferous trees surrounding the property, which provides a dark backdrop for the white church, making it recognizable at a great distance.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Preeceville No. 334 Bylaw 3-1990.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the North Prairie Scandinavian Lutheran Church resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that reflect the association with the Scandinavian settlers, such as the property’s accessibility for visitation of the cemetery;
-those elements that reflect the property's status as a landmark in the community, such as its simplified Gothic Revival architecture as seen in its pointed-arch windows with tracery, bell tower, multi-sided steeple, pinnacle and steeply pitched gable roof;
-those interior Gothic elements, such as the altar, chancel rail and L-shaped layout;
-the white exterior colour;
-its proximity to Grid 735 and the coniferous shelter belt.