Description of Historic Place

The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church is a Municipal Heritage Property located in the Rural Municipality of Langenburg No. 181 within the Hamlet of Marchwell. Situated on a grassy parcel of land, the property features a wood-frame church constructed in 1912 and a wood sign commemorating its date of construction.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church resides in its association with the religious history of the area. Shortly after the first Swedish settlers arrived in the Marchwell district in 1902, missionaries began holding services in the larger homes. By 1911, the Swedish population had increased and they decided to establish a Swedish-Lutheran congregation. A year later, the Swedish Evangelical Church was constructed. Eventually, many in the Marchwell community, regardless of denominational or national background, came to regard the church as their spiritual home. In 1950, the congregation changed the name of the church to the Bethel Lutheran Church. The church continues to serve the community by hosting regular Sunday services, weddings, funerals, and baptisms.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its status as one of the oldest structures in the community. A wood sign located a few yards south of the building commemorates its date of construction. The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church remains on its original site.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its architecture, which is typical of the small Gothic Revival-influenced churches of the period. The Gothic Revival influence is illustrated by the pointed-arch windows decorated with stained glass, gable roof and a centrally placed bell tower that incorporates the main entrance and is topped by a bell-shaped steeple.

Source:

The Rural Municipality of Langenburg No.181 Bylaw No. - 86.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements of the property that speak to its status as a long standing place of worship, including the position of the church on its original location;
-those elements of the property that reflect its status as the oldest structure in Marchwell, including the signage commemorating its construction date;
-those elements of the property that reflect its Gothic Revival-influenced architecture, including gable roof, pointed-arch windows with tracery and stained glass, and central belfry and bell-shaped steeple.