Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dessau
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The community of Dessau was founded in 1854 by German immigrants, including the Wieland, Nauert, Nehring, Grosskopf, Krueger, Goerlitz, and Hennig families. The pioneers worshiped in private homes until this sanctuary was built about 1876. Labor and materials used in its construction were supplied by members of the community. Worship services were conducted in the German language until the mid-1900s. The church building and adjoining cemetery stand as reminders of the area's pioneer German heritage. (1984)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1854, German immigrant families settled the little farming community of Dessau northeast of Austin, worshiping in one another's homes until they raised this sanctuary with their own hands around 1876. For generations the congregation prayed and sang in German, a linguistic thread that held until the mid-twentieth century. The church and its neighboring cemetery still mark where these pioneers put down roots.
Why it matters
It preserves the story of the German immigrant wave that shaped Central Texas culture, farming, and faith in the nineteenth century.
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Related people
- · Wieland family
- · Nauert family
- · Nehring family
Related events
- · German immigration to Texas
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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