From the Evangelisk Luthersk Kirketidende Volume V, No. 22, 6 May 1878 P. 345

The reason why a settlement as large and beautiful as Eighteen Mile Creek has not before been able to rejoice in having its own church-house is not that there were too few settlers, nor that they were too poor, or that zealous preachers of the word were lacking to work for the church; but the reason here, as elsewhere, has been a sad split into parties that for a long time stole power, and both the ability and courage to get going, and when they finally could and wanted to start building, disagreement arose regarding the church’s location and so on. Finally, some agreement was reached in the spring of 1876, and they laid hands on the work and began to break stones for the walls.

Then a sad accident occurred, when a huge block of sandstone suddenly fell down and in its fall literally crushed two hopeful young boys, mutilated and terribly wounded a third who, as if by God, escaped death, and broke one friend of an elderly family caregiver. There was blood on our church wall; the event shook many but became a blessing both for the individual families who were most affected by the accident, and for the entire congregation, who now took the matter earnestly and seriously.

Builder Olaus Olsen of Menomonee put the finishing touches on the work and directed erecting the steeple, painting the interior, installing the pews, pulpit, altar ring, etc. for $600. The church is a frame building, 46×32 feet with steeple of 14×14 feet, and now costs about $1500. Above the entrance is a beautiful and spacious gallery. The Women’s Association had by much diligence and agreement provided about $70 for the altar vessels, pulpit altar ornaments, and carpet. The location of the church is exceedingly beautiful; surrounded by beautiful, smiling meadows, it lies, surrounded by a small wood, on a high bank by the lovely Menomonee River.

At the inauguration, the opening prayer was read by Past J.L. Dietrichson and the closing prayer by Past H. Haakonsen. The initiation speech was given by Pastor M. Thorsen, the inaugural sermon by Pastor H.G. Krog was on Philippians 3:20 .: “Our citizenship is in heaven.”[1] He demonstrated what this citizenship is based on, what it consists of, and also how this house by the pure preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments should remind us of it, call and draw us to it, fortify and empower us in it, to the glory of God’s name and the eternal salvation of souls. The Menomonee choir came up and kindly assisted on the occasion, which, favored by a good weather, had gathered a large crowd of attentive listeners. God grant then that our Church House may in truth be and become a proper House of God and a house of prayer, where blood-bought souls become vessels of God through the pure Word and sacraments and bear fruit for eternal life, for Jesus’ sake! Amen. —Harald Hakonsen.