Trinity Danish Lutheran Church
Trinity Danish Lutheran Church was organized in 1872 as Den Danske Ev. Luth. Trinitatis Kirke, and was a member of the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church (later the American Evangelical Lutheran Church). Several Danish residents of Chicago, having no Danish Lutheran congregation in the city, wrote to Pastor Adam Dan, asking him to come to Chicago from Racine, Wis., and help organize a congregation. He met with interested Danes in Chicago on March 20, 1872, at which time Trinity was organized.
Our's Savior's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church allowed Trinity to use its sanctuary on the corner of West Erie and May Streets. The leadership of Our Savior's was not assured of the orthodoxy of Adam Dan, however, and after an examination of Rev. Dan, would not allow him to lead services at Our Savior's. The congregation rented the Episcopal Church on the corner of Carpenter and Ohio Streets, but Rev. Dan, who had several home missionary projects, found it difficult to conduct the mid-week services for the Trinity congregation.
Applying to Denmark for a pastor, Rev. J.A. Heiberg was called to Trinity in 1873. With assurance of pastoral support, the congregation erected its first church building (pictured at left) on leased land at 342-344 Chicago Avenue. The new building was dedicated on the same Sunday that Rev. Heiberg was installed. Rev. Heiberg also helped establish
St. Stephen's Danish Lutheran Church on the South Side.
In 1878 Trinity relocated to new facilities (pictured at top, interior pictured at bottom) at Superior and Bickerdike. Faced with the Danish-immigrant population movement to the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, Trinity established a mission in that area in 1885. In 1890 this mission became
St. Ansgar's Lutheran, which eventually came to be located at 1637 N. Washtenaw. In 1928 St. Ansgar's merged back into Trinity.
In 1906 a new building (pictured at right) was built at Francisco and Cortez Streets (2846 Cortez).
In 1966 Trinity began reaching out to the Spanish-speaking population living near the church. After Trinity disbanded in 1972, the building was used for a newly-incorporated Spanish-speaking Lutheran congregation called Trinidad.
Pastors Adam Dan (visiting)
1872-1873
J.A. Heiberg
1873-1879
A.S. Nielsen
1879-1893
Thorvald Helweg
1893-1895
Peter Eriksen
1895-1903
Hans J. Jessen
1903-1904
H.C. Rørdam
1904-1911
A.W. Andersen
1911-1943
Ottar S. Jørgensen
1943-1946
Ernest D. Nielsen
1946-1952
Erik K. Moller
1953-1959
Peter D. Thomsen
1959-1963
Richard N. Jessen
1963-1969
C. Franklin Samuelsen
1969-1972
Original records Original records are located at the ELCA Region 5 Archive in Dubuque, Iowa. The ELCA Archives has congregational histories and other materials relating to Trinity.
Sources Den Dansk Ev. Luth. Trinitatis Kirke,
50 Aars Jubilæum, 1922.
The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church,
75th Anniversary, 1947.
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chicago,
One Hundred Years at Trinity, 1872-1972.