Interior of Fahlun. Pipe organ pictured in upper right.
Sign upon leaving Fahlun Church
Church bell purchased in 1891 is inscribed with the words, "I to the church the living call, and to the grave do summon all."
Base of obelisk with inscription
Aerial view of Fahlun Lutheran Church
Fahlun Church and Crooked Lake Township history sign in front of Fahlun Church
Below are copies of pages of a 1947 birthday calendar published by Fahlun Church Ladies Aid
This window commemorates Erik Eriksson and hustru, my great-great grandparents.
Fahlun Lutheran Church
Douglas County, Rural Nelson, MN
Window commemorating Olof Erikson, son of Erik and Sarah, and construction foreman for the building of the church
In the mid to late 1860s Swedish settlers were arriving in the rural Nelson, Mn area. In 1870 a portion of Peter Lundgren’s farm that was about 1 1/2 miles northeast of Nelson and 1 1/2 miles south of where Fahlun Church now stands, was chosen by an early Swedish community as a burial ground. A 15’ granite obelisk was erected in 1912 with an inscription in Swedish to commemorate those buried there. The last burial in that pioneer cemetery occurred in 1891. Eleven infants of Sarah Hendrickson (sister to Karin Erikson Olson) were among those buried there. Major flu and cholera epidemics occurred during those years with little medical help available to combat those diseases at that time. Lawrence Olson said that he was with his father, L.E. Olson, when L.E. put in the foundation of the marker. A fruit jar with the names of all the people buried there was placed into the cement of the foundation, then the monument placed on top.
The inscription on the obelisk as translated reads:
"This monument is raised to the memory of the first immigrants and their relatives who are buried
here. Their names and ages are entered - sealed under this stone monument.
The first funeral at this cemetery took place May 1, 1870. This memorial was raised in 1912 by
relatives and friends of those buried here. This cemetery belongs to the Swedish Lutheran Fahlun
Congregation in Douglas Co. Minnesota."
Fahlun Lutheran Church was formally organized May 31, 1871, with 65 communicant members, including Erik and Sarah Erikson, my paternal great-great-grandparents. The name Fahlun was chosen by the early settlers for their house of worship because it was the name of the capital city of Dalarna, the province in Sweden from which many emigrated. The first meeting was held in a granary owned by Mauritz J. Johnson, aka Jon Janson. The first church was built of logs in 1872 about 1 1/2 miles south of the present church location. The first Christmas service was held in 1873.
In 1885 actual construction began on the current church building on land owned by a Mr. Sollem, the NE 1/4 of Section 6 in Osakis Township. Olof Erickson (Erikson), son of Erik and Sarah, was in charge of the construction which was done with only volunteer help. In 1889 new pews were purchased to replace old benches and a horse stable was built north of the church (taken down in 1940.) The church bell was purchased in 1891 and placed in the 95’ spire. The bell was of cast iron and weighed 1700 pounds. It was found to be cracked, and Olof supervised the removal and replacement. The manufacturer replaced it for $88.00 plus return of the original. The bell is 33” high x 44” in diameter. On the side of the bell facing the western belfry is the inscription, “I to the church the living call, and to the grave do summon all.”
Eighteen acres of land adjoining the church on the south side was purchased in 1892 for a parsonage and small farm that the pastor could operate. Men were seated on the north side of the church and women on the south side. In 1895 12 spittoons were ordered from Lars Bergsten for $.10 each for the men’s side. The two-manual console was installed in 1909, and it was hand-pumped at that time. The organ is still used for every service, and the music is magnificent!
In 1910 the altar and altar painting were installed. The painting was by Professor Olof Gafstrom, artist and former teacher in the art department of Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. The stained glass windows largely paid for by donors were installed in 1912. There is a window for Erik Eriksson and “hustru,” our great-great-grandparents as well as one for their son, Olof, the church construction leader. Generator powered lights were used for the first time on the evening of October 28, 1912. Regular electric lights were installed in 1937 and that also eliminated the need to hand-pump the organ. The transition from the use of Swedish to English occurred gradually into the 1920s. Minutes of Board and congregational meetings show it was a controversial change.
Much of this information was taken from the history of the church available at Fahlun
My parents attended Fahlun until their deaths. Most of our family were baptized and confirmed in Fahlun, and some of us were married there. My son, Jason, was baptized there in 1969. Many of my immediate family are buried there along with numerous ancestors. I have a plot at Fahlun Cemetery, and it will be my final resting place also.
Judy Alcott