Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church

Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, located at 7424-26 S. Drexel Avenue, was organized in 1891 in the Grand Crossing area of Chicago, as a member of the Augustana Synod. The congregation was formally organized on Nov. 6, 1891 and the first congregational meeting was held in Ashford's Hall on Jan. 1, 1892. Plans were made at that time to purchase property for the church. Pusey's Hall was used until the building (pictured above) was completed in 1893.





A basement was added to the building in 1905 (pictured at right).

By the summer of 1915, the congregation was in need of more space, and began construction of a new building (pictured below), which was dedicated on April 16, 1916.





















Gustavus Adolphus merged into Augustana Lutheran in 1968. Gustavus Adolphus' building was sold to a congregation from another denomination.

Pastors
A.S. Becklund 1891-1892
H.O. Lindeblad 1892-1894
C.P. Rydholm 1894-1900
J.W. Swanbeck 1900-May 1908
J.N. Brandelle Sept. 1908-1925
J.A. Parklander June 1926-1942
Ragnar O. Moline April 11, 1943-Oct. 31, 1953
Einar J. Oberg June 1, 1954-1958

Original records
Original record books for Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church should be located at Augustana Lutheran Church, 5500 S. Woodlawn Ave., 60637-1621. Some of the books have been microfilmed, as Augustana A21, including membership records from 1891-1945 and church minutes from 1891-1927. The microfilm is available from the ELCA Archives and from the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. The ELCA Archives also has several congregation histories from Gustavus Adolphus.

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Sources
Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, Chicago, Ill., 40th Anniversary booklet.

Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, Chicago, Ill., 55th Anniversary program.

Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, Chicago, Ill., 65th Anniversary booklet.